![](https://i.imgur.com/CLvY2jA.png")
05-02-2022, 01:23 PM
Haythem Guesmi
3 Feb 2022
Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, is now an autocracy. Indeed, since his July 25 power grab, President Kais Saied has all but declared himself a dictator.
Saied followed a well-trodden path to absolute power: he sacked the government, suspended parliament, jailed his opponents, cut opposing political parties’ and groups’ access to state television, weaponised state security forces against disgruntled masses, attacked the independent judiciary, and started ruling by decree.
......
While Saied undoubtedly was the one who took Tunisia off the democratic path, he alone is not responsible for the country’s authoritarian slide.
The US, France and the European Union, who all like to advertise their support for democracy in the Middle East at every opportunity, also contributed significantly to the current situation in Tunisia. After Saied’s power grab on July 25, despite countless warnings from democrats in Tunisia and beyond, they did not take a firm stance against the president or pressure him to facilitate an immediate return to democracy.
As days passed and Saied made his autocratic intentions even clearer, these countries continued bankrolling his oppressive regime and ensured his survival.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/...w-autocrat
3 Feb 2022
Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, is now an autocracy. Indeed, since his July 25 power grab, President Kais Saied has all but declared himself a dictator.
Saied followed a well-trodden path to absolute power: he sacked the government, suspended parliament, jailed his opponents, cut opposing political parties’ and groups’ access to state television, weaponised state security forces against disgruntled masses, attacked the independent judiciary, and started ruling by decree.
......
While Saied undoubtedly was the one who took Tunisia off the democratic path, he alone is not responsible for the country’s authoritarian slide.
The US, France and the European Union, who all like to advertise their support for democracy in the Middle East at every opportunity, also contributed significantly to the current situation in Tunisia. After Saied’s power grab on July 25, despite countless warnings from democrats in Tunisia and beyond, they did not take a firm stance against the president or pressure him to facilitate an immediate return to democracy.
As days passed and Saied made his autocratic intentions even clearer, these countries continued bankrolling his oppressive regime and ensured his survival.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/...w-autocrat
