October 11, 2021, marked a shift in Tunisian political history as Najla Bouden took the oath of office at the Presidential Palace of Carthage. This event established her as the first woman to serve as Prime Minister in both Tunisia and the wider Arab world, a position she maintained until August 2023.
Academic Background and Engineering Specialization
Born in Kairouan in 1958, Bouden pursued a career in science and engineering. She graduated from ESTP Paris in 1983. Her academic path culminated in 1987 when she earned a doctorate in earthquake engineering from Mines ParisTech. Her doctoral thesis examined the fragmentation of rock masses through the use of explosives, providing a foundation for her future work in geosciences.
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Bouden held positions as a professor of higher education at the National Engineering School of Tunis at Tunis El Manar University and the Tunisia Polytechnic School at Carthage University. Her expertise centered on seismic hazards, which informed her training of executives at the Tunisian Petroleum Activities Company. Beyond her university duties, she moved into administrative roles within the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. In 2011, she served as a Director General in the Ministry, and by 2015, she worked within the cabinet of Minister Slim Choura. In 2016, she led the World Bank-funded PromEssE program, a 70 million dollar initiative designed to modernize university curricula to address graduate unemployment.
Leadership in the Tunisian Government
In September 2021, President Kais Saied appointed Bouden to lead a new government amidst a national political crisis. She succeeded Hichem Mechichi, who had been dismissed earlier that July. As Prime Minister, she headed the Bouden Cabinet until August 1, 2023, when she was replaced by Ahmed Hachani. Throughout her career, her technical contributions were recognized in 2016 when she was named an Officer of the National Order of Merit of Tunisia.
Fast facts
- Born: 29 June 1958, Kairouan
- Citizenship: Tunisia
- Primary occupations: Geologist, academic, politician
- Education: ESTP Paris (1983), Mines ParisTech (1987)
- Prime Minister of Tunisia: 2021–2023
- Notable honor: Officer of the National Order of Merit (2016)
Questions readers ask
Was Najla Bouden a geologist?
Yes. She specialized in earthquake engineering and geosciences, earning a doctorate in the field in 1987.
Did she hold public office before becoming Prime Minister?
Yes. She served as a Director General in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research starting in 2011 and worked in the cabinet of Minister Slim Choura in 2015.
Achievements
- Educated at Mines ParisTech
