IJSSER

Title: Democracy in Tunisia: An Uncertain Path
Authors: Rajendra Prasad and Anjani Kumar
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Rajendra Prasad1 and Anjani Kumar2 1. Assistant Professor in Political Science, Sambhu Nath College, University of Burdwan, Labpur, Birbhum 2. Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Kalindi College, University of Delhi.
MLA 8 Prasad, Rajendra, and Anjani Kumar. "Democracy in Tunisia: An Uncertain Path." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, vol. 9, no. 11, Nov. 2024, pp. 5643-5651, doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2024.v09i11.044. Accessed Nov. 2024. APA 6 Prasad, R., & Kumar, A. (2024, November). Democracy in Tunisia: An Uncertain Path. Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research, 9(11), 5643-5651. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2024.v09i11.044 Chicago Prasad, Rajendra, and Anjani Kumar. "Democracy in Tunisia: An Uncertain Path." Int. j. of Social Science and Economic Research 9, no. 11 (November 2024), 5643-5651. Accessed November, 2024. https://doi.org/10.46609/IJSSER.2024.v09i11.044.
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ABSTRACT: This paper examines Tunisia's turbulent journey toward democracy, focusing on the factors that have shaped its political trajectory since 1987. Beginning with Ben Ali's authoritarian rule, which marginalized religious factions despite economic liberalization, Tunisia's struggle for inclusive development led to the 2011 Jasmine Revolution, uniting various political groups to overthrow him. Although a new constitution was adopted in 2014 and elections were held, Tunisia continued to face economic challenges, with political polarization deepening between secular and religious factions. The rise of Kais Saied in 2019, initially seen as a populist figure, marked a shift toward authoritarianism, undermining Tunisia’s fragile democratic institutions. The paper highlights the complexities and contradictions of Tunisia's democratization process, suggesting that despite initial hopes, the country's democratic experiment has been short-lived due to disunity among key constituents, namely the religious and secular-progressive factions. The paper concludes with a call for further research into Tunisia's current political landscape to better understand its democratic backsliding and the broader implications for the region.

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