Tunisia, widely considered the very birthplace of the monumental Arab Spring movement, has once again descended into political turmoil and civil strife following the assassination of a highly-regarded political figure, Shokri Belaid, who was leader of the leftist opposition party. The murder has led to renewed anger over what many citizens consider to be the slow pace of reform in the newly-parliamentary state, as well as growing concerns over the very potential for democratic governance in the North African nation. The current, conservative ruling party, Ennahda, has faced sharp public criticism since the assassination, being accused of not cracking down on Islamist groups thought to be responsible for the killing of the secular Belaid. Tunisia's PM Jebali, of Ennahda, has stepped down in the face of criticism from the public and within the party. Ali Laarayedh, one of the least conservative members of Ennahda, has been selected as the new PM. Controversially, Mr. Laarayedh, as leader of Tunisia's police, has faced much of the criticism for not doing more to prevent the killing of Belaid. Tunisia's situation is certainly one to take notice of, as for many other Arab states it has served as the model for relatively peaceful democratic revolution; the effects of the current turmoil could truly be wide-ranging.
Sources:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2013/02/20132717129261103.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/world/africa/tunisia-party-names-premier-candidate.html?_r=0
I am really intrigued about what will happen since he stepped down. However, it seems as though the public opinion and theories that encompass democratic peace theory, can view Tunisia as a primarily example of trasnformation.
ReplyDeleteToday, Tunisian police have identified the killer of opposition leader Chokri Belaid as a member of a radical Islamist Salafi group who is on the run, Prime Minister-designate Ali Larayedh. It will be an opportunity for the Tunisian government to mollify the citizens' anxiety over the stability and honesty of the new formed government.
ReplyDeleteAn article I read from Reuters also stated, "While Islamists did not play a major role in the Tunisian revolt, the struggle over Islam's role in government and society has emerged as one of the most divisive political issues.Salafis, not all of whom espouse violence, want a broader role for religion in Tunisia, alarming secular elites who fear they will seek to impose their strict views at the expense of individual freedoms, women's rights and democracy."