Tunisia’s Transition
The Global Citizen
When Americans think of democracy in other parts of the world, they generally think of the excitement that a country must have after being newly democratic. They see it as a step in the right direction and even an extension of the American dream. They see it as confirmation that the system works and that it will survive for the good of all people everywhere. What is especially remarkable is the transition found in Tunisia from a previous system where a single party was in charge and all others were outlawed or severely limited. There was very little chance for change from within the party and no other avenues to usher in that change. This happened in 2011 after the Arab Spring uprisings and Tunisia recently held its second free presidential election on September 15. This is making headlines all around the world because this is the only democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings.
For those who might be unaware, the Arab Spring was a series of revolutions that happened throughout the Middle East as well as North Africa in 2010. Starting in Tunisia, it resulted in the overthrowing of the previous government, the resignation of the prime minister, the dismantling of political police and the release of political prisoners. The Tunisian Revolution allowed for talks between the people and those in power to create a new government that was more attuned to the needs of the people.
The recent death of the country's first democratically elected president, Beji Caid Essesbi, leads to the second election in September. Now, Parliament Speaker Mohamed Ennaceur is currently acting as interim president. While there are many issues still surrounding Tunisia and its population, the people are hopeful. This is one of the world’s youngest democracies and they are being put to the test even 8 years later.
Many of the candidates have been focusing their campaigns mainly around solving the instability that is throughout the country such as the lack of growth in jobs and incomes along with promising ways to solve the socio-economic issues as well. No candidate was expected to gain the majority needed to win the election in the first round; authorities weren’t expected to release official results until Monday or Tuesday.
Tunisia has hope in the democratic process and most will argue that they are going about this the right way to improve the lives of the people and the efficiency of the government. Many Tunisians are hoping that this brings about positive change and increases the number of opportunities available for the average citizen. As long as people feel they have a chance and their hard work will pay off for them and their families, they will feel as if they are improving as a country. They will feel safe knowing that they can make a difference by using the medium of democracy.
Wesley Rodriguez-Diep is a senior studying international relations.