Tunisia's 'Emergency' Never Ends
📰 THE STORY: Tunisian President Kais Saied has extended the country's state of emergency for another 11 months, until December 31. The official gazette vaguely attributes this to an attack in 2015 where 'several presidential guards were killed,' implying an ongoing, critical threat. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The 2015 Bardo Museum and Sousse attacks, while tragic, were
primarily carried out by a small number of ISIS affiliates. The emergency powers granted then have been continuously renewed, far exceeding the initial crisis. This effectively dismantles the democratic gains, however fragile, of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that began in Tunisia, which saw its dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali overthrown after 23 years. The shift since 2021, when President Saied
suspended parliament and seized executive power, has been a systematic rollback of those gains, transforming a nascent democracy into an increasingly authoritarian state under the guise of 'stability' and 'emergency.' Double Standard: Western media and governments, which lauded Tunisia as the 'sole success story' of the Arab Spring, now offer tepid, almost passive reporting on the erosion of its
democracy. When similar strongman tactics are employed by states deemed 'adversaries,' like Venezuela or Iran, the same outlets erupt with shrill condemnations about dictatorship and human rights abuses, often demanding sanctions or intervention. Yet, for a strategically important North African nation that continues to receive significant Western aid, the silence is deafening, allowing Saied's