Ahmed Ben Salah

Ahmed Ben Salah (rear RTL أحمدبنصالح), born the January 13rd 1926 with Moknine, is a politician and trade unionist Tunisia N.

After primary studies with Moknine, it continues secondary studies with the prestigious Collège Sadiki of Tunis. It launches out, once its finished studies, in the union action, where it appears quickly like an organizer of the Tunisian General union of work (UGTT), then in the political action where it launches Tunisia on the way of the Socialisme.

Union action

The UGTT, after having been member of the world Trade union federation in 1949 - 1950, chooses to adhere in 1951 to the international Confédération of the free trade unions (CISL) because this one constitutes an authority allowing the nationalist Tunisian to present their claims to the international opinion without being made tax with communist. Ben Salah is designated to represent the UGTT at the CISL, of which he becomes vice-president, with Brussels and to try to act on the Public opinion American, by the means of AFL-CIO (member of the CISL), because it appears able to influence the French government favorably.

The international audience thus acquired by Ben Salah enables him to be elected general secretary of the UGTT little before the speech of Carthage (July 31st 1954) in which Pierre Mendès France recognizes in Tunisia the right to internal autonomy. It succeeds Hached which is assassinated the December 5th 1952. Ben Salah does not hesitate during the year 1956 to show the government of Tahar Ben Ammar, in which the Néo-Destour takes part, to serve the “interests of large the Bourgeoisie”. In the name of the unit requirement, Habib Bourguiba, which is elected president of the constituent National Assembly the April 8th, answers that the levelling claims should not be transformed into pressure of stripped on having. The strong personality of Ben Salah making fear in Néo-Destour which the UGTT does not escape its control or even that it does not cause the creation of a Workers party, a current néo-destourien is formed quickly within the UGTT to obtain the ousting of Ben Salah. With the congress of the month of September 1956, this current animated by Habib Achour penetrates the administrative commission and, under its influence, certain regional unions refuse to be affiliated to the UGTT and group in a rival union. Néo-Destour, being based on the employers' federations and Country S, constrained Ben Salah to dislocate in December 1956. It is then replaced by Ahmed Tlili.

Political action

Drawn aside of the UGTT, Ben Salah is named Secretary of State to the public health and the social affairs. Noting in 1960 the fall of the investments and the capital flight and perceiving the decline of popular enthusiasm born with independence, Bourguiba, after having changed three times of Minister for the economy into four years, states to choose the Planification then for socialism. It then charges Ben Salah with the ministry for planning and finances in 1961. Entered by co-optation at the political office of Néo-Destour, this last reiterates the essence of his economic report/ratio of the Life congress of the UGTT (1956) and prepares a plan, the decennial Prospects (1962 - 1971), then a three-year plan having for goal to set up the new structures. Prospects decennial, to which the preamble affirms that Tunisia chooses socialism resolutely, aim at “to decolonize the nation's economy” by the integration of the colonial sector and the “tunisification” of the foreign remained enclaves. Intending to ensure a self-development of the country, the plan assigns the outside assistance in lower part of 50% of the investments Nets. The policy of Ben Salah involves a development of its administration which absorbs the secretariat of State to finances since 1961, that of state education in 1967 and encroaches considerably on competences of that of agriculture. It is in the latter field that Ben Salah brings the greatest changes, in particular by the decision taken in 1962 to create Coopérative S of Production, gathering around the grounds of the colonists a certain number of peasants chosen as co-operators. However, the intensive Mécanisation of the unit thus made up worsens the rural employment problems of the poor peasants or without grounds and the bureaucratic management of the co-operatives gives birth to a certain dissatisfaction in the co-operators themselves (delays in the payment of the Salaire S).

Forfeiture

Dissatisfaction grows - business of Me saken in December 1964 - and extends to other layers from the population as the project develops. In 1968, this last integrates the whole of the commercial sector and, as from January 1969 (marked by the business of Ouerdanine), must apply to the whole of Tunisian agriculture. The tradesmen and the large ones and average farmers thus threatened link their forces against Ben Salah who cannot make sure the support of the poor peasants. Its fall is fast: dislocated its ministerial functions in September 1969, it is excluded from Néo-Destour and deposed of its mandate of deputy. Shown to have misused the confidence of the president and to have taken favors in the two last years of the bad health condition of this last, it is translated in front of the High court and is condemned the May 25th 1970 to 10 years of forced labors.

He manages to escape from his Prison of Tunis the February 4th 1973 and passes in territory Algérie N where he obtains the statute of political refugee. However, its political activity continues in exile: it founds and directs current the Parti the popular unit. In May 1988, one year after the ousting of president Bourguiba, the president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali the pardoned one. It can then return to Tunisia after fifteen years of exile. However, vis-a-vis various intimidations, it is forced to leave again the country in September 1990. In September 2000, it returns definitively to Tunisia.

External bond

Portrait of Ahmed Ben Salah (on the left)

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