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| 1959–71 |
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| Expansion of the educational system. All levels registered increases in enrollment: from 362,000 to 935,000 in primary schools (from 44 percent to 72 percent of the eligible population); from 36,000 to 184,000 in secondary schools; and from 2,100 to 11,000 at the universities. | 1 |
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| 1959, June 1 |
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| A new constitution switched Tunisia from a parliamentary to a presidential system of government. | 2 |
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| 1961 |
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| Appointment of Ahmad Ben Salah as secretary of state for planning and finance. Ben Salah became responsible for overseeing the transition of the economy to a system of central planning. | 3 |
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| 1961–63 |
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| THE BIZERTE ISSUE. The French attempted to expand their only remaining military base in Tunisia (June 1961) but encountered opposition from the Tunisian government, which surrounded the base with troops. Fighting erupted (July 19), and French troops eventually took control of the entire city, killing some 1,300 Tunisians in the process. Tunisia broke off diplomatic relations with France but opened negotiations in July 1962. The French finally withdrew from Bizerte in Oct. 1963. | 4 |
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| 1964, May 11 |
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| A new agrarian law resulted in the seizure of about half of all French-owned land. | 5 |
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| 1970, March 24 |
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| Arrest and disgrace of Ahmad Ben Salah, architect of the planned economy. Tunisia rapidly moved toward a more open economy and sought to attract foreign investment. | 6 |
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| 1974, Jan. 12 |
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| Announcement of political union with Libya. The Tunisian government backed out of the scheme soon afterward. | 7 |
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| Sept. 14 |
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| The Socialist Destour Party (formerly the neo-Destour) elected Habib Bourguiba as president for life. | 8 |
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