Arab spring torchbearer Tunisia returning to autocracy?

On Monday, Tunisians will vote on a new constitution supported by a president who is accused by his detractors of attempting to reimpose tyranny in the country that gave birth to the Arab Spring. When a young fruit vendor set himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid, in the country's centre, in protest against police abuse and unemployment in December 2010, it marked the beginning of Tunisia's revolution. Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Moamer Kadhafi of Libya were two dictatorial presidents who were overthrown as a result of the Tunisian revolution. However, the majority of the uprisings resulted in civil wars or military-backed counterrevolutions.

Tunisia is in discussions with the International Monetary Fund on a bailout package to prevent it from going bankrupt. Tunisia has been in economic trouble since the revolution. After President Saied dismissed the administration and suspended parliament in July 2021, blaming them for inefficiency, the nation descended into yet another political crisis.

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The Islamic State group targeted Tunisia frequently, and it was also a major source of foreign jihadists going to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside the Sunni extremists. 2015 saw three significant assaults in Tunisia that were claimed by IS and resulted in the deaths of 72 persons, mostly foreign tourists and security personnel. In 2016, a battle in the town of Ben Guerdane, close to the Libyan border, resulted in the deaths of 13 security officers, seven civilians, and at least 55 militants. Although authorities claim to have achieved substantial success since then in the fight against terrorism, the nation is still under the 2015-imposed state of emergency.

(with inputs from agencies)