U.S. Media Suddenly Cares About Tunisian Democracy
Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets denouncing Kais Saied's crackdown, a story now making headlines. Yet, for years, Saied has been steadily eroding democratic institutions—dissolving parliament, rewriting the constitution, and jailing critics—with largely muted condemnation from the very Western powers now expressing 'concern.' The timing of renewed media interest suspiciously coincides
with Tunisia's deepening economic ties with China, including a recent $50M loan from Beijing in 2022 and multiple infrastructure agreements, suggesting a shift in geopolitical leverage. One might wonder if the 'repression' only becomes front-page news when it's perceived to threaten Western influence, not when it merely suffocates local aspirations. It appears that 'democracy' is less about the
will of the people and more about who's trading with whom. The same outlets that amplified protests during the Arab Spring—when outcomes served certain Western interests—now rediscovered their outrage only after China starts cutting checks. How many strongmen have to embrace non-Western partners before their 'authoritarianism' becomes a global crisis?