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Document Type

Article - Merrimack Access Only

Publication Title

MENA Politics Newsletter

Publication Date

Fall 2021

Abstract/ Summary

President Kais Saied’s suspension of Parliament and firing of Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi called into question Tunisia’s leadership and their commitment to democracy. Tunisia’s transition to democracy represented a beacon of hope in the Arab world, but Saied’s recent actions sparked debates about the future trajectory of Tunisia’s democratic institutions. Corruption and political infighting have characterized much of the political scene in the postrevolution era. What is predictable in the aftermath of Tunisia’s revolution since 2011 is the civic engagement of the country’s youth. Through revolution, transition, elections, and a “constitutional coup,” the scholarship on the political behavior of Tunisian youth affirms that this cohort is unlikely to change its course of political action regardless of who is in power. Young Tunisians appear to care less about measuring the democratic progress of the country through elections, representation, and regime change but are more concerned about the presence of corruption, political infighting, and Tunisia’s stagnating economy. Looking through the perspective of youth, I think the case of Tunisia calls into question what we measure as democratic “progress.”

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