Republic Day in Tunisia
Observed annually on the 25th of July, Republic Day is a public holiday that’s observed in Tunisia. This holiday commemorates the anniversary of when the vote to abolish the monarchy was taken. This date was July 25, 1957. After the Republic of Tunisia was established, Habib Bourguiba would become the first president of the country and would rule for over 3-decades.
Today, the holiday is observed with a prominent display of the Tunisian flag on government buildings, businesses, and private homes. It’s also a day that is filled with fairs, festivals, and parades. It’s a patriotic holiday that Tunisians of any age can enjoy.
The History Of Republic Day In Tunisia
During the 19th century, Tunisia became a French protectorate, and it would remain so for the next few decades. Then, an independence movement began during the 1920s and this movement would create the Destour political party. This was followed by the creation of the Neo Destour party in the 1930s, a party that was led by Habib Bourguiba.
Bourguiba would lead Tunisia to independence in March of 1956Â as a constitutional monarchy. Bourguiba would become the Prime Minister and Muhammad VIII al-Amin would become king. However, this new government was seen as a pro-France government, so the political structure of the country was changed to a republic instead of a constitutional monarchy.
On July 25, 1957, the king abdicated, the monarchy was abolished and the Republic of Tunisia was created. Bourguiba would become the first president and rule for 31-years. He was finally deposed in a coup d’etat.
Observing Republic Day In Tunisia
Not only do people fly the flag of Tunisia on this day, but the flag is also on many government buildings and businesses on this day. People also attend some of the many fairs and exhibitions that happen on this holiday and enjoy Tunisian food such as Couscous, Merguez, and Chorba.