Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (born 3 September 1936) was the second President of the Tunisian Republic. He held the office from 7 November 1987, until he was forced to step down and flee the country on 14 January 2011. Ben Ali was appointed Prime Minister in October 1987, and assumed the Presidency in November 1987 in a bloodless coup d'?tat from then President Habib Bourguiba, who was declared incompetent. Ben Ali was subsequently re-elected with enormous majorities at every election, the final time being 25 October 2009. Following the Tunisian Revolution, he fled to Saudi Arabia.