Habib Bourguiba was more or less nonexistent. The constitution vested Bourguiba with sweeping—almost dictatorial—powers. Bourguiba himself admitted this when a journalist asked him about Tunisia's political system. Bourguiba replied, "The system? What system? I am the system." In this context, the SPD became an "alibi in an ideological desert". It is important to specify that, during his conquest and exercise of power, he systematically rejected all his allies who became rivals: Abdelaziz Thâalbi and Mohieddine Klibi, who represented the bourgeoise faction of Destour; Salah Ben Youssef, supported by Naser, that he assassinated in 1961. Tahar Ben Ammar who ratified the independence protocol
Habib Bourguiba States. Domestically, Prime minister Mzali emptied Bourguiba's entourage. In July 1985, he replaced Allala Laouiti, loyal mate of the President, with Mansour Skhiri. He also succeeded in sending away from Carthage, Bourguiba Jr., advisor to the President sacked by his father on January 7, 1986. Aiming to put an end to the serious economic crisis, Bourguiba replaced Mzali and appointed, on July 8, 1986, Rachid Sfar to be his new Prime minister. These unfinishing crises favored the ascending of Islamism and strengthened Bourguiba's paranoia. Thus, he found in general Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, appointed minister of the Interior in 1986,