• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • Finance
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Political Humor
  • Technology
Exclusive: Tunisia’s new path to democracy in 2022

Exclusive: Tunisia’s new path to democracy in 2022

January 18, 2022
Best YouTube MP3 Converter

Best YouTube MP3 Converter for All Devices Online

September 3, 2025
Power Distribution Unit PDU: Essential Guide for IT Hardware

Power Distribution Unit PDU: Essential Guide for IT Hardware

September 2, 2025
Why Access Control Security Systems Are Essential for Modern Offices

Why Access Control Security Systems Are Essential for Modern Offices

September 2, 2025
The Pros and Cons of Using X2Mate for YouTube Downloads

The Pros and Cons of Using X2Mate for YouTube Downloads

September 1, 2025
Top 5 YouTube Downloaders for High-Quality, Fast Downloads

Top 5 YouTube Downloaders for High-Quality, Fast Downloads

September 1, 2025
Micro Market Vending

Micro Market Vending: Revolutionizing Workplace Breaks

August 27, 2025
Corporate Catering

Corporate Catering: The Smart Way to Fuel Workplace Events

August 27, 2025
music downloader

Free MP3 Music Downloader Tools You Should Try – Fast & Easy

August 26, 2025
youtube downloader

The Importance of YouTube Downloader in Today’s Digital Music World

August 26, 2025
y2mate

Download YouTube Videos Easily: Top 5 Free Online Tools

August 26, 2025

Molecular Dynamics Simulation: A Powerful Tool for Molecular Research

August 26, 2025
mp3 juice

Top 5 MP3 Downloaders You Can Use on Any Device

August 25, 2025
  • About
  • NewsTalkFlorida
  • SportsTalkFlorida
  • FeedBox
Sunday, September 7, 2025
  • Login
  • Register
Inside The Nation
  • Daily Buzz
    How To Insulate External Doors: A Simple and Effective Guide

    How To Insulate External Doors: A Simple and Effective Guide

    Door-Rain-Deflector

    How an Exterior Door Rain Deflector Can Improve Your Home’s Curb Appeal

    The Dodgers add another star pitcher Kirby Yates

    The Dodgers add another star pitcher Kirby Yates

    NFL Network analyst Marc Ross rips Giants: “They’re a mess!”

    The Commanders lost to the Eagles but won back their fans

    NFL Network analyst Marc Ross rips Giants: “They’re a mess!”

    With Super Bowl LIX around corner, which team gets most action?

    Leading US-Bred Dirt Horses Have Excellent Chance at Dubai World Cup

  • US News
    • All
    • EDUCATION
    youth life coach Austin

    The Inspired Minds Approach to Helping Teens Navigate Life with Strength

    non denominational church

    Discovering Spiritual Growth at Plano’s Non-Denominational Churches

    Succeeding in NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 3 and 4: Elevating Your Nursing Practice with Data and Leadership

    Succeeding in NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 3 and 4: Elevating Your Nursing Practice with Data and Leadership

    teen confidence coach

    Your Teen Deserves to Feel Confident—Let Austin’s Top Life Coach Help

    electric panel repair

    Top Signs Your Home Needs Electrical Repairs

    How Tutoring Services Can Benefit A Child’s Education

    How Tutoring Services Can Benefit A Child’s Education

  • Politics
    • All
    • international News
    10 Reasons You Need a Firearms Lawyer for Gun Ownership Rights

    10 Reasons You Need a Firearms Lawyer for Gun Ownership Rights

    The Rays and the A’s future remains in flux

    The Rays and the A’s future remains in flux

    Harris Shines In Her Debate With Trump

    Harris Shines In Her Debate With Trump

    Look For Shapiro To Replace Blinken As Secretary Of State In A Harris Administration

    Look For Shapiro To Replace Blinken As Secretary Of State In A Harris Administration

    Harris Expected To Name Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz As Her Running Mate

    Live Video Coverage Of The 2024 DNC: Gov. Tim Walz Gets His Night To Shine

    Live Video Coverage of the Republican National Convention

    DNC 2024 The Obama’s Rock Chicago, While Pelosi Handles Protesters

    Live Video Coverage of the Republican National Convention

    Live Coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention: “Thank You Joe,” It Is Biden’s Night

    Biden Accomplished More Than Any Other President Since FDR – But Harris Has The Roadmap To The Future

    GOP Attacks on Harris and Walz are just wrong and misleading

    It’s Harris-Walz 2024: The Minnesota Govenor Wins The Veep Stakes

    It’s Harris-Walz 2024: The Minnesota Govenor Wins The Veep Stakes

    Harris Expected To Name Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz As Her Running Mate

    Harris Expected To Name Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz As Her Running Mate

    • Political Humor
      youtube downloader

      The Importance of YouTube Downloader in Today’s Digital Music World

      Molecular Dynamics Simulation: A Powerful Tool for Molecular Research

      youtube to mp3

      The Role of YouTube to MP3 Converter in the Era of Digital Music Access

      How Can GST Help Industrial Businesses Claim Input Tax Credit Efficiently

      Innovating Nucleic Acid Detection: Advanced Minor Groove Binder (MGB) Probes and Custom Solutions

      How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

      How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

      Custom Synthesis: A Comprehensive Exploration of Key Elements in Chemical Production

      The Benefits of Custom Application Development for Businesses in Detroit

      The Benefits of Custom Application Development for Businesses in Detroit

      Digital physiotherapy

      How Digital Physiotherapy is Transforming Rehab: Smart Tech for Faster Recovery

  • Business
    • All
    • Finance
    • Marketing
    • Real Estate
    • Technology
    Power Distribution Unit PDU: Essential Guide for IT Hardware

    Power Distribution Unit PDU: Essential Guide for IT Hardware

    Why Access Control Security Systems Are Essential for Modern Offices

    Why Access Control Security Systems Are Essential for Modern Offices

    Micro Market Vending

    Micro Market Vending: Revolutionizing Workplace Breaks

    Corporate Catering

    Corporate Catering: The Smart Way to Fuel Workplace Events

    music downloader

    Free MP3 Music Downloader Tools You Should Try – Fast & Easy

    Rebuilding Broken Product Processes: When It’s Time to Rethink Your PLM Strategy

    Rebuilding Broken Product Processes: When It’s Time to Rethink Your PLM Strategy

    ERP for Manufacturing

    ERP for Manufacturing: What It Is, How AI Is Transforming It, and Your Guide to Building Custom ERP Software

    End-to-End IDO Development Services: What to Look for in a Technology Partner

  • Entertainment
    Best YouTube MP3 Converter

    Best YouTube MP3 Converter for All Devices Online

    The Pros and Cons of Using X2Mate for YouTube Downloads

    The Pros and Cons of Using X2Mate for YouTube Downloads

    Top 5 YouTube Downloaders for High-Quality, Fast Downloads

    Top 5 YouTube Downloaders for High-Quality, Fast Downloads

    music downloader

    Free MP3 Music Downloader Tools You Should Try – Fast & Easy

    youtube downloader

    The Importance of YouTube Downloader in Today’s Digital Music World

    mp3 juice

    Top 5 MP3 Downloaders You Can Use on Any Device

    TikTok Video Downloader

    Fast and Free TikTok Video Downloader – No App Needed

    ERP for Manufacturing

    ERP for Manufacturing: What It Is, How AI Is Transforming It, and Your Guide to Building Custom ERP Software

    How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

    How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

    Cannes to Host D-Day Film Festival Honoring Joséphine Baker and Transatlantic Heritage

    Cannes to Host D-Day Film Festival Honoring Joséphine Baker and Transatlantic Heritage

  • Environment
    youtube downloader

    The Importance of YouTube Downloader in Today’s Digital Music World

    Molecular Dynamics Simulation: A Powerful Tool for Molecular Research

    youtube to mp3

    The Role of YouTube to MP3 Converter in the Era of Digital Music Access

    How Can GST Help Industrial Businesses Claim Input Tax Credit Efficiently

    Innovating Nucleic Acid Detection: Advanced Minor Groove Binder (MGB) Probes and Custom Solutions

    How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

    How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

    Custom Synthesis: A Comprehensive Exploration of Key Elements in Chemical Production

    The Benefits of Custom Application Development for Businesses in Detroit

    The Benefits of Custom Application Development for Businesses in Detroit

    Digital physiotherapy

    How Digital Physiotherapy is Transforming Rehab: Smart Tech for Faster Recovery

  • Health
    youtube downloader

    The Importance of YouTube Downloader in Today’s Digital Music World

    Molecular Dynamics Simulation: A Powerful Tool for Molecular Research

    youtube to mp3

    The Role of YouTube to MP3 Converter in the Era of Digital Music Access

    How Can GST Help Industrial Businesses Claim Input Tax Credit Efficiently

    Innovating Nucleic Acid Detection: Advanced Minor Groove Binder (MGB) Probes and Custom Solutions

    How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

    How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Using Tubidy

    Custom Synthesis: A Comprehensive Exploration of Key Elements in Chemical Production

    The Benefits of Custom Application Development for Businesses in Detroit

    The Benefits of Custom Application Development for Businesses in Detroit

    Digital physiotherapy

    How Digital Physiotherapy is Transforming Rehab: Smart Tech for Faster Recovery

  • Our SItes
    • FeedBox
    • NewsTalkFlorida
    • SportsTalkFlorida
No Result
View All Result
Inside The Nation
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics international News

Exclusive: Tunisia’s new path to democracy in 2022

complex issues for political transition and economic growth

by Maurizio Geri
January 18, 2022
in international News
0
Exclusive: Tunisia’s new path to democracy in 2022
531
SHARES
1.5k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Analyst Maurizio Gero filed this piece from Tunisia where he saw protests live and took the following photo.

The 11th year after the Tunisian Revolution that sparked the Arab Spring started with a failed demonstration. On the 14th of January, the anniversary of the ousting of Ben Ali, few hundred people from different parties but mostly Ennahda, without flags or any symbol that could distinguish them, tried to protest against the President defying the ban imposed on demonstrations because of Covid. Heavy police dispersed the people, arrested few and the small demonstration were “nip in the bud” as a local newspaper said. Some are saying that Tunisia is a risk of dictatorship, but this event showed that we are far from the demonstration of hundreds of thousands of people that you would expect if Tunisian population felt that President was responsible of a “coup” against their democratic will. The fact is that the current Tunisian transition towards democracy and development entered in a slow-moving chronic crisis, after 11 years since it started.

The President recently launched online consultations on different topics from economic to social, health and cultural affairs. The goal is a new constitutional draft that will substitute the Constitution of 2014, to be approved with the referendum on July 25, one year after President Saied suspended the Parliament, closed the government and created a new technocratic government made of non-party people, who some people called a “coup” and others a liberation. Following the referendum new elections will be held on December 17, the new anniversary of Tunisian revolution (Saied wanted to remember not the ousting of Ben Ali but the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi, to show the importance of population need more than the cast and elite power struggle).

A constitution written just by an elite of technocrats surrounding the Presidency, even if with online consultation, has not the same legitimacy and support of a constitution draft by a Constitutional Assembly that has not been elected in Tunisia. So, the political crisis is there. The G7 nations plus the EU called recently for a swift return to functioning democratic institutions with an elected parliament. But the situation is not so that clear or simple. Tunisian democratization is the only one that worked after the Arab Spring, which became everywhere, apart in Tunisia, an “Arab Winter”, and is one of the only two democracies in the Arab World together with Lebanon. Tunisians are proud of this democratic transition and want to keep it. That is why they trusted the President to retake in the hand the transition that went out of the right track. Kais Saied, a former constitutional professor, not a general like Al Sisi as some complaining about his move compared to, had to take some strong decision because of several political, social and economic reasons.

At political level the corruption and inefficiency were unbearable. When you have political gridlock and a lack of governance the unfitness of the political class is evident. Protests went on for months last year because of the economic disaster produced by failed governments, in a stalemate that could not even produce new laws and give to people the services needed and, on the contrary, had often fistfights in the Parliament. Since the Constitution of 2014 the politicians elected were not able to create even a Constitutional Court, to defend that Constitution, showing their lack of vision and lack of deeply understanding what to defend a democracy require. And, actually, the Constitution of 2014 is an advanced one, in particular in the preamble and the human rights clauses (that will remain the same the President said) with even a target parity between men and women in elected bodies (Tunisian women are the only Arab women that are equal to men by law).

Corruption and impunity were rampant too. The 2019 elections are also suspect of corruption, such that 19 people were recently charged with electoral crimes, including Ghannouchi from Ennahda and former president Marzouki. Also, few days ago Noureddine Bhiri, a former justice minister and deputy president of Ennahda, has been arrested under charges of “illegal issuance of passports for some individuals and for a serious suspicion of terrorism”. Saied’s opponents have accused of politicized charges and even fear of a slide back to authoritarianism, but these moves seems related with corruption and impunity more than authoritarianism. Actually, what are the parties doing in this time of waiting for a new Constitution and elections? Are they trying to solve their internal problems, first of all inefficiency and corruption, that made people protest for months before Saied took the decision to close down everything? No, they are using the time just to protest. Protest is important but is not enough.

They need to form cadres, militants and candidates, facilitate new internal institution building, making dialogue with civil society associations in order to understand what policies are needed by the people, and make internal open and transparent reflections to show the population that they learned the lessons from mistakes, proposing detailed programs in the next elections instead of just slogans. They also need new dialogues to prepare some form of shared government in a country that have more than 20 parties represented in the Parliament and so will need to have for sure some coalition government. Actually, the electoral law will have to put some high threshold, at least 5% or even 10 as in Turkey, if they want to avoid the ungovernability caused by coalition governments with a myriad of parties.

Also, a good proposal for a sustainable democratization process could be some form of institutional decentralization. Since 2011 Tunisia started to decentralize to local regions and cities but much more can be done with investments in this process by all actors, including foreign countries like Italy is doing for example. Actually, the proposal of the President is a “hourglass” system in which neighborhood-level local councils would be elected and from them regional and national representatives would be drawn by lottery. This would allow for representation and legitimacy and hopefully for a more efficient and less corrupted government.

At economic level Tunisia is also in a chronic crisis, facing increasing poverty and regional inequalities. The GDP collapsed 8.6 percent in 2020, the budget deficit widened to 10 % of the GDP, and the country’s public debt reached 87% percent of the GDP at the end of 2020. The percentage of poverty increased from 14 to 21 percent and the unemployment rate increased from 15 to18 percent between 2020 and 2021. Tunisia is also strangled by the weight of its external debt, equal to 30 billion dollars. To get out of the crisis it is necessary to boost economic growth and development quickly otherwise the disaster will be inevitable. A clear indicator of this is the increased attempt of migrate from Tunisian citizens. According to The Global Initiative Against Organized Crime, between 2020 and mid-2021, migration from and through Tunisia rose to levels not seen since the months following the 2011 revolution. Tunisian security and defence forces intercepted 35 thousand irregular migrants in the country’s littoral areas and off its shores, and Italian authorities recorded the disembarkation of 28 thousand Tunisians. There is an urgent need to address Tunisia’s economic weakness if the country wants to come out of this crisis. The risk is that the IMF funds that the President is requesting for a rescue package could bring an excessive austerity that could make things even worst.

Democracy is not something we conquer. As the US president Biden remembered to Americans when was elected democracy is a long process, that has to be constantly nurtured otherwise dies. Actually we could say for democracy what Benjamin Franklin said for Republic more than two centuries ago when supposedly asked if America chose Monarchy or Republic: “ A Republic if you can keep it.” We will see in this 2022 if Tunisia will keep its democracy. If Saied will be able to be the visionary leader that wants to be, if the parties will rise to the occasion and if the civil society will keep trusting the democratic path until new Constitution and new elections will be done by the end of the year. Otherwise the Arab Spring will be really complete its failure in becoming an Arab Winter everywhere, even in the country that started it.

Comments
Maurizio Geri
+ postsBio
  • Maurizio Geri
    #molongui-disabled-link
    How Can Africa Develop Sustainable Cities?
Share212Tweet133Share37SharePin48
Maurizio Geri

Maurizio Geri

Plugin Install : Widget Tab Post needs JNews - View Counter to be installed
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Hitman shoots husband and kills son of Judge overseeing Deutsche Bank Epstein trial

Hitman shoots husband and kills son of Judge overseeing Deutsche Bank Epstein trial

July 20, 2020
Tanzanian President Samia’s trip to Europe Is a Strategic Move

Tanzanian President Samia’s trip to Europe Is a Strategic Move

February 18, 2022

The 4Rs of Tanzania President Samia

October 7, 2022
The Role of AI in Human Resources

The Role of AI in Human Resources

1
Girl with Shopping bag

8 Super Effective Shopping Tips to Save More Money in Chandigarh Malls 2023

1
Bubble-Wrap-For-Packing

The Benefits of Using Bubble Wrap for Packing

1
Best YouTube MP3 Converter

Best YouTube MP3 Converter for All Devices Online

September 3, 2025
Power Distribution Unit PDU: Essential Guide for IT Hardware

Power Distribution Unit PDU: Essential Guide for IT Hardware

September 2, 2025
Why Access Control Security Systems Are Essential for Modern Offices

Why Access Control Security Systems Are Essential for Modern Offices

September 2, 2025
Inside The Nation

Copyright © 2020 Inside The Nation.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • NewsTalkFlorida
  • SportsTalkFlorida
  • FeedBox

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Daily Buzz
  • US News
  • Politics
    • Political Humor
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Our SItes
    • FeedBox
    • NewsTalkFlorida
    • SportsTalkFlorida

Copyright © 2020 Inside The Nation.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

OR

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In