Tunisia: Will Elected Local Governments Build Democracy?
Channel: United States Institute of Peace
Date: 2018-07-23

Amid Tunisia’s struggle to democratize following its 2011 Arab Spring revolution, the country’s first-ever elected local governments may offer hope. Tunisia’s 350-plus localities are inaugurating elected councils this summer, half of whose 7,000-plus members are women and a third of whom are younger than 35. Still, the May election that put them in office included a reduced voter turnout—34 percent—that underscores public frustrations and the need for concrete solutions to Tunisia’s unemployment, poverty, and underdevelopment, especially in the country’s interior.

A model to help stabilize volatile communities could come from Kasserine, which has seen frequent protests and upheaval, and which is a locus of recruitment by extremist groups. Local officials have been building a market space for street vendors who for years clashed with authorities amid their struggle for economic survival. The market, still under construction, was the solution found through an unprecedented dialogue between city officials and the vendors. 

Learn about the USIP-supported dialogue: https://www.usip.org/blog/2018/07/tunisia-will-elected-local-governments-build-democracy

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