III 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 316 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding Tunisia’s peaceful Jasmine 

Revolution. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 8, 2011 

Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself, Mr. MCCAIN, and Mr. KERRY) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding Tunisia’s 

peaceful Jasmine Revolution. 

Whereas, on January 14, 2011, a peaceful mass protest 

movement in Tunisia successfully brought to an end the 

authoritarian rule of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali; 

Whereas Tunisia’s peaceful ‘‘Jasmine Revolution’’ was the 

first of several movements throughout the Middle East 

and North Africa and inspired democracy and human 

rights activists throughout the region and around the 

world; 

Whereas Tunisia, in the wake of Ben Ali’s resignation, began 

a transition to democracy that has been broadly inclusive, 

consensus-based, and civilian-led; 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 316 IS 

Whereas, on October 23, 2011, Tunisia conducted the first 

competitive, multi-party democratic election of the Arab 

Spring, which involved dozens of political parties and 

hundreds of independent candidates competing for a 217- 

member National Constituent Assembly; 

Whereas more than 50 percent of all eligible voters and nearly 90 percent of registered voters participated in the October 23 election; 

Whereas Tunisia’s Independent Electoral Commission welcomed and accredited a robust domestic and international 

election observer presence, including 3 independent delegations from the United States; 

Whereas election observers have broadly praised the October 

23 election as free, fair, and consistent with international 

standards; 

Whereas roughly 25 percent of the seat in the National Constituent Assembly were won by women; 

Whereas the newly-elected National Constituent Assembly is 

tasked with drafting a new constitution to guide 

Tunisia’s transition towards a representative democracy 

that reflects the aspirations of the Tunisian people; 

Whereas the Jasmine Revolution was largely a reaction to 

long-accumulated economic grievances, ongoing high unemployment and poor economic conditions sustain the potential to drive future political protestations; 

Whereas the United States and Tunisia have enjoyed friendly 

relations for more than 200 years; and 

Whereas the United States was among the first countries to 

recognize Tunisian independence in 1956: Now, therefore, be it 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 316 IS 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates the people of Tunisia for 

3 holding, on October 23, 2011, the first competitive, 

4 multi-party democratic elections since the outbreak 

5 of popular revolutions throughout the Middle East 

6 and North Africa in 2011; 

7 (2) commends the Tunisian independent elec8 toral commission for— 

9 (A) successfully conducting a free, fair, 

10 transparent, and credible election on October 

11 23, 2011; and 

12 (B) welcoming independent international 

13 and domestic election observers and granting 

14 them unrestricted access to polling and count15 ing stations; 

16 (3) congratulates all newly-elected members, 

17 and the parties with which they are affiliated, of the 

18 National Democratic Constituent Assembly; 

19 (4) affirms the national interest of the United 

20 States in a successful and irreversible transition to 

21 democracy in Tunisia, including— 

22 (A) respect for the rule of law; 

23 (B) independent media; 

24 (C) a vibrant civil society; and 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 316 IS 

1 (D) universal rights and freedoms, includ2 ing equal rights for all citizens, freedom of 

3 speech, and human rights; 

4 (5) affirms the national interest of the United 

5 States in Tunisia’s economic prosperity and develop6 ment, including through increased foreign direct in7 vestment, tourism, entrepreneurship, technical co8 operation, and strengthened trade ties; 

9 (6) urges increased United States engagement 

10 and cooperation with the Tunisian government and 

11 people, including— 

12 (A) Tunisia’s democratic institutions; 

13 (B) civil society; 

14 (C) schools and universities; 

15 (D) independent media; and 

16 (E) the private sector; and 

17 (7) reaffirms the unwavering friendship between 

18 the people of the United States and the people of 

19 Tunisia. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS