Democracy on the brink

McShane reports that Tunisia is setting itself up for an autocratic future. Days after sacking the prime minister, suspending parliament, and assuming executive authority in July 2021, President Kais Saied of Tunisia summoned reporters from the New York Times to his office. The president's oppo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe World Ahead p. 60
Main Author McShane, Roger
Format Magazine Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London The Economist Intelligence Unit N.A., Incorporated 01.01.2022
Subjects
Decades
Democracy
Political systems
Politics
Presidents
Tunisia
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Summary:McShane reports that Tunisia is setting itself up for an autocratic future. Days after sacking the prime minister, suspending parliament, and assuming executive authority in July 2021, President Kais Saied of Tunisia summoned reporters from the New York Times to his office. The president's opponents called his actions a coup, but Mr Saied wanted to dispel any notion of authoritarianism. Tunisians turned to Mr Saied in 2019, hoping he would bring reform and upend the system. However, a decade of democracy has not brought prosperity, and Tunisians have grown disillusioned with politics. The president's actions may be setting Tunisia up for a worse situation, as some potential successors are seen as populist demagogues who could threaten the country's democracy.
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