Tunisian democratisation

Dashed Hopes Between 2010 and 2022

Bibliographic Data

ID3978496
AuthorsM Moncef Khaddar (0000-0003-2182-3295, Cyprus International University, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume28
Issue6
Pages1324-1344
Publication date2023-11-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of North African Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1362-9387 • E-ISSN: 1743-9345
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13629387.2023.2203465
OpenAlexW4366777342
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited21

Beyond the euphoria of the early revolutionary moments, in 2010-2011, muted counter-revolutionary setbacks followed elite-led 'democratisation'. For those who construed the political developments in the aftermath of the popular uprisings in Tunisia, in the wake of Ben Ali's autocratic regime dismantlement, as a first step in the direction of a 'democratic transition', disappointments were on the horizon. By the summer of 2021, the sudden re-emergence of a powerful presidency in the name of 'returning sovereignty to the people', while the ghost of the oligarchic state and the spectre of the authoritarian elites still hung about, opened the door for the return of a bureaucratic police state. Meanwhile, the effects of lingering economic and health crises were compounded by politico-constitutional wrangling. These further clouded an already polarised social environment and created the political conditions for the 'restoration' of the 'presidentialist regime'.KEYWORDS: Tunisiaconstitutional-political crisisdemocratisationrevolution/counter-revolutionstatepeople Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1 See the insightful comments relative to the case of 'failed transition in Egypt in 2013 and the role played by General El-Sissi in engineering a 'military coup' during a 'chaotic situation. Abdeslam Maghraoui (Citation2014). https://www.e-ir.info/2014/04/29/egypts-failed-transition-to-democracy-was-political-culture-a-major-factor.2 See https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/14/tunisia-election-exit-polls-point-to-landslide-win-for-robocop-kais-saied.3 See Plato's The Republic written in 360 B.C.E.4 It is remarkable that in 1987, General Ben Ali, the author of the 7th of November 'coup', claimed he was performing a 'national duty' and aimed through what became later known as the 'blessed change,' 'saving' Tunisia from the state of 'deliquescence' in which it was sinking, not to mention the other justifications advanced using legalistic-constitutional and pluralistic-democratic rhetoric. In July 2021, what many came to consider as a 'coup' and a 'self-coup', in contrast, did not unfold from within the Tunisian political-military elites' system or precisely constitute a kind of a 'palace coup', but from an 'outsider' albeit elected in 2019. Saied portrayed first as an 'anti-system', became, in 2021 a full-fledged 'statesman' jealously guarding his coveted prerogatives. Nevertheless, he also, to some extent, invoked his 'constitutional duty' and the need to answer the trampled-on people's democratic aspirations.5 Ibid.6 One among the experts, Professor Amin Mahfoudh, consulted by the president and member of the Constitution Committee, when asked about the draft constitution he was involved in writing, assured confidently on national TV that it will be 'Tunisian', 'democratic', and a 'Carthage constitution', strangely alluding to Aristotle's work. It is useless to speak of thousands of years of ancient constitutional history. Yes, Carthage had its constitution, but in 2022 the current president in Carthage granting a new constitution, on the ruins of the 2014 one in such a manner, for a 'new republic', is shocking. It is good to know that other members of the committee, including its head Dean Sadok Belaid, handpicked by the president for drafting the constitutional document, later rejected the unilateral version submitted to referendum by Saied because it contains constitutional chapters that 'could pave the way for a disgraceful dictatorial regime.' See Al-Jazeera. 2022. July 3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/3/tunisian-constitution-committee-head-blasts-presidents-draft.7 See La Presse de Tunisie where the definitive results were published on August 18, 2022. https://lapresse.tn/137495/annonce-des-resultats-definitifs-du-referendum-et-validation-de-la-nouvelle-constitution-un-boulevard-pour-kais-saied/8 For more details directly concerning the July Constitutional Referendum see Khaddar Citation2022. 'Tunisia on the eve and in the wake of the 2022 constitutional referendum', The Journal of North African Studies, doi: 10.1080/13629387.2022.2156039.9 Ibid. As stipulated by the 2014 constitution, the constitutional court never saw the light of day because of political wrangling under the two presidencies of Essebsi and Saied. This latter re-designed the required composition and competencies of the constitutional court in tune with his initial presidentialist views consolidated by the 2022 constitutional referendum.10 See https://www.en.mabapost.tn/2020/12/18/mohamed-bouazizi-family/.11 Ezzeddine Mhedhbi mentions the following families, in alliance with others, involved in 'corruption', since 1987 Ben Ali's coup, as having pillaged Tunisia before and after 2011: Ben Ali, Trabelsi, Mabrouk, and Materi among others. https://www.webdo.tn/fr/actualite/national/les-familles-qui-pillent-la-tunisie-ii-corruption-dans-les-transports-les-finances-les-douanes-et-le-foncier/173027.12 See Blaise and Bobin 23 July 2022. https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2022/07/23/en-tunisie-la-revolution-autocratique-de-kais-saied_6135888_3212.html.13 On 11 October 2022, The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) hosted a Webinar with former President M. Marzouki titled 'A Roadmap to Restore Democracy in Tunisia.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX8Il2ueSrU.14 See Business news: Sans surprise, Brahim Bouderbala élu président du Parlement 13 March 2023. https://www.businessnews.com.tn/sans-surprise-brahim-bouderbala-elu-president-du-parlement,520,127593,3. Also see: Le Press Tn. Kais Saied s'entretient avec le président du parlement Brahim Bouderbala. 14 March 2023. https://lapresse.tn/153965/kais-saied-sentretient-avec-le-president-du-parlement-brahim-bouderbala

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