Democratic Backsliding in Tunisia: The Case for Renewed International Attention (2018)

Of all the Arab states that experienced popular uprisings and political upheaval in 2011, Tunisia alone navigated the crisis through civil debate, free elections, and constructive negotiations. But Tunisia remains far from consolidating its new democracy and is showing signs of backsliding.
The country was rated Free for the first time in the 2015 edition of Freedom in the World, after it adopted a progressive constitution and held free and fair national elections. Since then, democratic progress has stalled. The government has been unwilling or unable to implement many of the most fundamental democratic reforms called for by the constitution, and its scores in Freedom in the World have dipped accordingly. If Tunisia’s democratic slide continues at its current rate, the country is likely to lose its Free status.
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