1959 Tunisian general election

General elections were held in Tunisia on 8 November 1959 to elect a President and Chamber of Deputies, following the promulgation of a new constitution on 1 June. They were also the first elections held since the proclamation of a republic in 1957.

In the presidential election, incumbent Habib Bourguiba, who had become president upon the republic's proclamation, was the only candidate to obtain the endorsement of 30 political figures, as required by the constitution.^[1] He was thus unopposed for a full five-year term. In the parliamentary elections, Bourguiba's Neo Destour won all 90 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, with only the Tunisian Communist Party running against them in Tunis and Gafsa.^[2] Voter turnout was 91.7%.^[3]

This would be the last even nominally contested election held in Tunisia until 1981. In 1963, a year before the Chamber's term ran out, the Neo Destour was declared the only legally permitted party, though Tunisia had effectively been a one-party state since independence.

Results

President


Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Habib Bourguiba	Neo Destour	1,005,769	100.00
Total			1,005,769	100.00

Valid votes			1,005,769	99.78
Invalid/blank votes			2,190	0.22
Total votes			1,007,959	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			1,099,577	91.67
Source: TIME, Nohlen et al.

Chamber of Deputies



Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Neo Destour	1,002,298	99.65	90
	Tunisian Communist Party	3,471	0.35	0
Total		1,005,769	100.00	90

Valid votes		1,005,769	99.78
Invalid/blank votes		2,190	0.22
Total votes		1,007,959	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,099,577	91.67
Source: Nohlen et al.

References

^ Dickovick, J. Tyler (2008). The World Today Series: Africa 2012. Lanham, Maryland: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 978-161048-881-5.
^ The Middle East and North Africa 2003 p1053
^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p918 ISBN 0-19-829645-2

[Dickovick-1] Dickovick, J. Tyler (2008). The World Today Series: Africa 2012. Lanham, Maryland: Stryker-Post Publications. ISBN 978-161048-881-5.

[2] The Middle East and North Africa 2003 p1053

[3] Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p918 ISBN 0-19-829645-2

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v t e Elections and referendums in Tunisia
Presidential elections	1959 1964 1969 1974 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 2024
Parliamentary elections	1956 1959 1964 1969 1974 1979 1981 1986 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2011 2014 2019 2022–23
Regional elections	2022
Local elections	1957 1960 1963 1966 1969 1972 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2018
French elections	1945 1946
Referendums	1945 1946 (May) 1946 (Oct) 2002 2022