III 

Calendar No. 248 

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, Mr. KERRY, and Mr. RUBIO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Relations 

DECEMBER 1, 2011 

Reported by Mr. KERRY, without amendment and with an amendment to the 

preamble 

[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic] 

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 


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•SRES 316 RS 

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; 

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; 


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•SRES 316 RS 

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 

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; 

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 characterized the October 23 election as free, fair, and consistent with international standards; 


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•SRES 316 RS 

Whereas roughly 25 percent of the seats 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, and 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 

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 


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•SRES 316 RS 

1 them unrestricted access to polling and count2 ing stations; 

3 (3) congratulates all newly-elected members, 

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

5 National Democratic Constituent Assembly; 

6 (4) affirms the national interest of the United 

7 States in a successful and irreversible transition to 

8 democracy in Tunisia, including— 

9 (A) respect for the rule of law; 

10 (B) independent media; 

11 (C) a vibrant civil society; and 

12 (D) universal rights and freedoms, includ13 ing equal rights for all citizens, freedom of 

14 speech, and human rights; 

15 (5) affirms the national interest of the United 

16 States in Tunisia’s economic prosperity and develop17 ment, including through increased foreign direct in18 vestment, tourism, entrepreneurship, technical co19 operation, and strengthened trade ties; 

20 (6) urges increased United States engagement 

21 and cooperation with the Tunisian government and 

22 people, including— 

23 (A) Tunisia’s democratic institutions; 

24 (B) civil society; 

25 (C) schools and universities; 


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•SRES 316 RS 

1 (D) independent media; and 

2 (E) the private sector; and 

3 (7) reaffirms the unwavering friendship between 

4 the people of the United States and the people of 

5 Tunisia. 


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Calendar No. 248 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 316 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding 

Tunisia’s peaceful Jasmine Revolution. 

DECEMBER 1, 2011 

Reported without amendment and with an amendment to 

the preamble 


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