As old authoritarian practices persist, figures of ben alis era have resurfaced and are quickly gaining. Tunisia is showing the arab world how to nurture democracy soumaya ghannoushi despite the turmoil surrounding tunisia, its cohesive society. How tunisias military has changed during its transition to. These are based on tunisias experience as the most successful democratic transition to emerge from the arab uprisings, as well as my personal intellectual and. Three years after the beginning of the arab uprisings, tunisia and egypt are moving in different directions. Article pdf available august 2015 with 82 reads how we measure reads. In the wake of the arab spring the international community lauded tunisias political transition to democracy. Tunisians adopted a new constitution in january 2014 and held national elections between october and december 2014, marking the completion of a fouryear transition period. By francis ghiles tunisians have reasons for optimism. The constitution of tunisia university of richmond. Tunisia has taken key steps toward democracy since its jasmine revolution, and has so far avoided the violent chaos andor return to authoritarian government seen in other arab spring countries.
One nation stands as an exception in the arab world for having peacefully completed a democratic electoral process, four. Mar 29, 2011 since the fall of ben ali, as it works to support the countrys transition, the institute has maintained a consistent presence in tunisia, where it has been meeting with political leaders from across the ideological spectrum, members of key commissions overseeing the political transition, activists in civil society and academia, and. Alongside case studies of indonesia, senegal, and india, contributors analyze similarities and differences among democratizing countries with large muslim populations. Five years after the arab uprisings, tunisia remains the regions best and likely only hope to complete a transition from authoritarian rule to a more inclusive form of government. The success of tunisias political transition is often attributed to the ability of the ruling. The challenges of democratic transition in tunisia youtube. Pdf the democratic transition in tunisia researchgate. Tunisia has held elections, faced political assassinations, and last month, saw the governing islamist party agree to step down from power.
The challenges of transition two years after the revolution, high hopes for the tunisian transition are giving way to a more sober assessment of the situation. How tunisias military has changed during its transition. American democracy promotion in transitioning tunisia tunisia in. Tunisia is localising its democratic transition to further the aims of the revolution. Mar 08, 2016 in the wake of the arab spring the international community lauded tunisia s political transition to democracy. Torn between democratic consolidation and neoconservatism in an insecure regional context.
Five years after the revolution, more and more tunisians. The book presents original research and analysis conducted by the research group tunisia in transition international relations over the last years and consists of four book parts. European commission press release details page european commission press release brussels, 10 december 2012 the european union eu has approved a new programme for financial assistance to tunisia that aims to support the ongoing democratic transition process and to implement some of the priorities recently agreed between the european union and tunisia as part of their. What lessons can be learned from its example, and what challenges still await this fledgling democracy. Tunisia erupted into nationwide mass demonstrations for democratic change. Democratic transition in the muslim worldconvenes leading scholars to consider the implications of democratic success in tunisia and failure in egypt in comparative perspective. How tunisias military has changed during its transition to democracy. Conditions for successful consolidation and future prospects. In response, the united states, european union eu, and key eu member statesnamely france, germany, and the united. Tunisia in april, about how the countrys demo cratization process is faring, what aspects of the situation in tunisia felt similar to the many other postauthoritarian contexts he has studied, and what struck him as unusual.
Still, rampant corruption since 2011 has made tunisians weary of. Since then, tunisia has taken key steps toward democracy. The role of the high commission in promoting legal and constitutional reform in tunisia workshop overview in preparation for the electoral processes which will pave the way towards the setting up of democratic institutions, new commissions have been appointed tunisia or have received a renewed. The democratic transition in post revolution tunisia.
Why tunisias transition to democracy is succeeding while. While the political transition has been successful overall, the difficult economic situation may pose a threat to its consolidation. There is a double may 2018 tunisia in transition a comparative view from thomas carothers thomas carothers, senior vice president for studies at the carnegie endowment for international peace in washington, d. But a plethora of challenges may threaten democratic consolidation in the country. May 20, 2016 five years after the arab uprisings, tunisia remains the regions best and likely only hope to complete a transition from authoritarian rule to a more inclusive form of government. March 14, 20 the democratic transition in tunisia by steven roy radwan masmoudi, founder and president of the center of the radwan a. For any regular visitor to tunis, the change of atmosphere in the capital in the first months of 2014 compared even to autumn 20, and certainly to 2012 is striking. Welcome to tunisia in transition we are a germantunisian research group, which analyses the transformation of the arab world and the german and european policies in the menaregion middle east and north africa. The narrative of the tunisian transition from authoritarian rule to democracy has been depicted in much scholarly work as an unequivocal success story see e. Article 2 the republic of tunisia is a part of the great arab maghreb, an entity which it endeavors to unify within the framework of mutual interests. Oct 18, 20 the challenges of democratic transition in tunisia. Oct 25, 2014 tunisia is showing the arab world how to nurture democracy soumaya ghannoushi despite the turmoil surrounding tunisia, its cohesive society has brought about stability and, this weekend, the.
Mar 08, 2016 how tunisias military has changed during its transition to democracy. After rocky transition, tunisia is set for first democratic presidential vote beji caid essebsi, leader of the secular nidaa tounes party, is the frontrunner in a field of 27 candidates for. A historical account and political analysis of the origins of tunisias transition from totalitarian regime to democratic society. Tunisia in transition project on middle east democracy. Tunisia has made remarkable progress since overthrowing its dictatorship six years ago. Since january 2011, tunisia s political transition has gone through four phases. The good student of the arab spring is facing serious issues that are severely hampering its democratization process. Postrevolution tunisia attempts painful transition to democracy. The religious right alnahda or the renaissance party had the prime ministership but the speaker of parliament is a leftist and the president is a secular liberal. Tunisia is localising its democratic transition to further. The role of civil society in tunisias transition 7 introduction tunisias path to democratisation has moved in a two steps forward, one step back progression despite socioeconomic difficulties that would appear to reinforce conservative religious salafist criticisms of the ennahdhaled government. Five years after the arab spring, only tunisia remains on the path to democracy. Tunisian democracy were to break down, how might this happen, and. In spite of many remaining challenges and hurdles, tunisia s transition to democracy is already a success story in the arab, african and muslim world.
Tunisia s armed forces, however, lack the means to fight the jihadists, who are better armed and are able to escape into safe havens in libya. Tunisia s transition raises a wide range of questions for the future of the country and the region. Tunisia has achieved considerable success in adopting a constitution through a process that, despite delays, interruptions, and other crises, has remained reasonably democratic. Nov 29, 2016 relations between the eu and tunisia eu support for transition in tunisia in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 revolution the eu pledged to support the tunisian peoples transition towards greater democracy, freedom and social justice. Dec 26, 2014 the guardian view on tunisias transition. Tunisian political parties learn from transition experiences. Its religion is islam, its language is arabic and its type of government is the republic. The challenges of democratic transition in tunisia. After months of political brinkmanship, back room negotiations, and broken deadlines for reaching a deal, the country has a new prime minister and.
The democratic transition in postrevolution tunisia. The constitution of tunisia in the name of the people, we, habib bourguiba, president of the republic of tunisia, considering the decree of december 29, 1955 14 djoumada i. Tunisia is showing the arab world how to nurture democracy. Disengagement from public affairs is increasing as living conditions are worsening and political representatives fail to offer viable solutions. Setting the rules for the tunisian democratic transition oecd. Egypt and tunisia have both held relatively successful elections, ushering in parliaments with popular mandates.
Transitions to democracy in africa democratization in. Consensus politics created what can be termed an authentic tunisian the democratic transition in postrevolution tunisia. Jan 31, 2018 after arriving for his two dayvisit in tunisia, french president emmanuel macron praised the democratic transition of the arab country and promised french support, while meeting with the. Pdf on jan 1, 2015, yahia zoubir and others published the democratic transition in tunisia find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate.
The tunisian revolution, also called the jasmine revolution, was an intensive 28day campaign of civil resistance. Dec 16, 20 tunisias transition is finally back on track. Political and media transitions in tunisia is a snapshot of the current media policy and regulatory environment in tunisia. Oct 03, 2014 the path to the upcoming vote has not always been smooth, but a successful transfer of power in tunisia would be a crucial next step for the country and a rare bright spot for the region. The major challenges facing the country today are political instability, reaching consensus on the role of religion in the state, reforming the. Pomeps briefing 27 tunisias volatile transition to democracy brings together. The achilles heel of tunisias democratic transition. Tunisian democracy at a crossroads brookings institution. Tunisias transition to democracy is sputtering bloomberg.
Pdf the democratic transition in postrevolution tunisia. Postrevolution tunisia attempts painful transition to. Conditions for successful consolida tion and future prospects abstract. In january 2011, after weeks of widespread popular protests, president zine elabidine ben ali abruptly fled tunisia, and an interim government assumed power, dissolved parliament, and promised the tunisian public a transition to democratic rule. The underlying reason for the change is the adoption of a new constitution in january 2014, which enshrines the equal rights of men and women and the rule of law.
Tunisia is a free, independent and sovereign state. In tunisia, where the arab spring began, the transition to democracy is sputtering. Postrevolution tunisia was included in the study because of its ability to complement the more traditional postconflict case studies info dev has commissioned for afghanistan, liberia, rwanda, sri lanka and timor leste. What follows is an edited version of their conversation. Tunisia has held elections, faced political assassinations, and last month, saw the governing islamist party agree to. Tunisia parliament is 42% religious right and the rest secular and ideological. Tunisias transition to democracy often has been troubled. Alongside the transition governments, three reform commissions were set up in 2011, with the task to politically and institutionally prepare the ground for the first free elections 11 s ie med. This, and a companion study on the media and transition challenges in egypt, was prepared for a threeday. There have been others, 12 however, arguing mostly from sociological and cultural perspectives, who maintain that civil society frequently develops before, and is in fact a main cause of, the transition to a democratic system. Transforming tunisia the role of civil society in tunisias. While tunisias economic challenges were apparent prior to the revolution, conditions since then have worsened. The research for this paper was carried out in may and june of 2011 by joan barata mir.
1425 874 157 918 242 807 996 41 1639 1368 1166 1547 1514 1221 693 612 334 161 900 305 1414 116 1614 1209 1398 488 139 792 314 1032 1224 600 820 1090 1400 72