…. What voters want Economic justice was a central demand of the 2011 uprising, and public opinion data from the Arab Barometer collected in 2011, 2013 and 2015demonstrate that the economy remains at the forefront of Tunisians’ minds. When asked, “What are the most two important challenges your country is facing today?” nearly 75 percent of respondents listed the economic…
Governance
Lebanon’s political system leads to paralysis and corruption
“IT is difficult to escape the grip of religion in Lebanon. The rules that govern marriage, property rights and inheritance are administered by religious courts. Well-to-do secular Lebanese can fly to Cyprus to marry in civil ceremonies. But once back home, if their relationship goes sour, Muslims still have to deal with religious judges, who rule on divorce, alimony and…
The EU-Tunisia Privileged Partnership – What Next?
On 15 May 2018, Tunisia and the European Union (EU) will hold an Association Council meeting where they are expected to adopt partnership priorities, the dedicated framework used since the review of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in 2015 in replacement of the former action plan. Since the last Association Council meeting in May 2017, some voices on both sides…
Instability in the South
The Arab uprisings of 2011 (and their national aftermaths) have led to a collapse of the regional order, thus transforming the Southern Mediterranean shores into a basin of persistent instability. The continuing volatility and conflicts in NATO’s southern neighborhood directly affect the security of the Alliance. Threats emanating from terrorist groups and the migration crisis are largely due to economic,…
Al-Sisi poised for empty victory in Egypt as signs of unrest grow across the region
“Egyptians are voting in presidential elections on March 26-28. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who grabbed power in 2013, is set to win another term by a landslide. Yet this is far from a sign of strength: opposition candidates have been silenced, and even pro-government media are being purged of the slightest undertone of dissent. Al-Sisi’s grip on power may appear firm,…
Popular Support for Democracy in Autocratic Regimes: A Micro-Level Analysis of Preferences
Scholarly opinions diverge as to which citizens in autocratic regimes actually prefer democracy to the status quo. While some argue that citizens with higher levels of socioeconomic status are more likely to prefer democracy because they desire political equality, others argue that the poor should prefer democracy most because they will have more relative power to affect redistributive policies. Analyzing…
Het succesnummer van de Tunesische revolutie is na zeven jaar grijsgedraaid
…Het gevoel dat Tunesië ‘verloren’ is, lijkt breed te worden gedeeld. En tegelijkertijd lijken er maar weinig mensen in te geloven dat ze daarin iets kunnen veranderen. Vooral onder jongeren is de wanhoop groot. Het academisch onderzoeksproject Arab Barometer peilde dat de helft van de jongeren tussen 18 en 24 jaar erover denkt te vertrekken. ‘Ik heb er zelf nooit…