The World - News from April 3, 1989
President Zine Abidine ben Ali was elected to a five-year term as Tunisians voted in presidential and legislative elections. Ben Ali, 54, who seized power in a bloodless takeover from President Habib Bourguiba in November, 1987, was the only candidate for the presidency. His ruling Constitutional Democratic Assembly party was expected to win most of the 141 legislative seats. Ben Ali had a mandate to rule until 1991 but called early elections as a plebiscite on his democratic reforms in the North African nation.
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