Tunisia’s 2021 Protests: Another Lost Decade?
On the tenth anniversary of the Arab Spring, Tunisia experienced a sense of déjà vu with intense protests and violence taking over its cities. Following the successful overthrow of long-term dictator Ben Ali, Tunisia transformed into a symbol of hope for Arab populations living under authoritarianism- representing the perfect democratic exemplar. However, suburban and rural youth still feel marginalized, raising the question: did the violent Arab Spring lead to another lost decade?
Following several nights of small-scale clashes that started in the third week of January, when demonstrators initially took to the streets to protest poverty and desperation, police brutality heightened to unprecedented levels in the recent democracy. Tunisian authorities heavily deployed teargas in residential streets, conducted mass arrests of minors, and jailed journalists with allegations of abuse. The violent response led to the catalyzation of a broader movement, with civil society groups encouraging protests. Thousands marched peacefully in the following days to protest police brutality, corruption, and incompetence. Groups published a list of demands on social media such as the release of jailed protesters, the increase of the minimum wage, the offer of benefits to marginalized groups, and the establishment of a proper judicial system that could deal with police brutality complaints. Peaceful or not, protesters were still attacked with batons and teargas.
Tunisians lack hope and blame the new political elite for not securing employment and for further marginalizing young individuals in poor areas. The economic hardships suffered by Tunisians worsened as the COVID-19 pandemic tore through the tourist-dependent state, with unemployment levels of 15% among the general labour force and 36% among the young population. According to the IMF, the state’s economy further contracted by 8.2% in 2020; the downturn mostly affected marginalized communities, where people live on daily wages. Unfortunately, even time and a supposedly inclusive democracy failed at finding solutions to put an end to the grievances of the Tunisian revolution, which ignited the Arab Spring movement in 2011.
To add to the frustrations, the public actions of the police during the recent protests reminded many Tunisians of the all-too-familiar culture of brutality, violence, and impunity - even a decade after the revolution of 2011. Several oppressive laws still exist and the same police department that used torture to control the uprisings of the Arab Spring remain unchallenged, and thus perceived as a repressive - rather than protective - state entity. Moreover, since 2011, the Tunisian security forces have received a significant amount of foreign aid. However, since terrorist attacks hit the country in 2014, police officers prioritized battling terrorism rather than respecting human rights. The state retains the main structure of Ben Ali’s regime, in that it does not provide basic services, nor does it create an economically profitable environment.
Despite a supposedly successful democratic transition, the country remains unstable as successive elected governments failed to close the huge gap between the rich and the poor – the main source of tensions in the country. Often accused of corruption, appointed ministers diminish any hopes of reform for Tunisians. Moreover, instead of finding solutions for time-sensitive issues such as marginalization, police reform, and employment, politicians tried to form a new government: the fifth one since 2019’s inconclusive elections. This left Tunisians with no choice but to take their demands to the streets.
An important lesson arises from Tunisia’s struggles: political reforms, in themselves, are insufficient for a complete transition towards democracy. Tunisia’s consecutive governments’ inability to deliver such a change highlights the need for economic reforms alongside political ones. Consequently, a possible period of celebration, with the passing of a decade since the fall of the authoritarian regime, turned into a period of violence and renewed desperation. A large majority of Tunisians now regard democracy as an inadequate form of governance for their country, citing their increased economic sufferings since the revolution as unemployment soared and inflation doubled over the same period. A new government must act quickly and implement reforms to ameliorate the economic situation, and to hopefully reverse the spread of anti-democracy movements throughout the country.