Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was a Tunisian politician who served as the President of Tunisia from 1987 until 2011. He came to power after a bloodless coup that ousted the previous president, Habib Bourguiba. During his presidency, Ben Ali implemented various economic reforms and maintained a strong grip on political power, often suppressing dissent. His rule ended during the Tunisian Revolution in 2011, which was part of the broader Arab Spring movement. Following widespread protests against his government, Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia, where he lived in exile until his death in 2021.