Tunisia: A socio-economic oasis in a political desert. By Didgo Noivo, Portuguese Institute of International Relations and Security, 2009.
The widespread belief that economic development would foster democratization and greater civil liberties was central to the EU’s signing of the 1995 Free Trade agreement. However, socio-economic development in Tunisia has come at the expense of political freedom, restricted human rights and other undemocratic practices (media freedom, banning term limits). While Tunisia has been relatively spared from acts of terrorism in comparison to its neighbors, increasing youth unemployment, absence of channels of communications and lack of political strategy to deal with the Islamist parties pose security threats to the country. The author recommends that the EU focus more attention on empowering civil society while opening a channel of constitutional dialogue with the Islamist parties.
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Tunisia: The Life of Others. By Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior FRIDE, 2009.
Despite the socio-economic success heralded by Tunisia in recent years, it is viewed as one of the more politically retrogressive regimes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region unwilling to open up politically compared to its semi-autocratic neighbors Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. Tunisia’s historical leadership on issues such as civil liberties and women’s rights have been gradually eroded due to draconian laws passed to enhance government authority. The 2003 Anti-Terrorism Finance Law which denies the creation and banning of independent associations is particularly debilitating. Civil society is severely targeted through harassment, surveillance, arrest and curtailment of their sources of funding. Labeling of organizations as “foreign” has helped the administration subject them to extra scrutiny. The author argues that the regime has been able to maintain good relations with the West in spite of these undemocratic practices due to Tunisia’s lack of reliance on foreign aid and the government’s effectiveness at portraying itself as the solution to the rising Islamist movement. Nonetheless, recent demonstrations by youth in response to high unemployment and their support for Islamists ideologies are a ticking bomb waiting to explode if necessary reforms are not taken.
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