Tunisian Revolution

An Introduction to the Tunisian  Revolution

An Overview of the Tunisian Revolution

The Tunisian Revolution, also known as the Jasmine Revolution, was a revolutionary movement which aimed to oust Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia’s President of twenty-three years (“Tunisian Revolution”, 2015, para. 4). For years, discontent had been growing in Tunisia due to widespread unemployment, rising food prices, government corruption, and political repression (“Tunisian Revolution”, 2015, para. 5). This discontent was long present, but Ben Ali’s regime kept order in the country until the seventeenth of December 2010. On this day, a fruit vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire to protest the Ben Ali regime after being denied a permit to sell his fruit in the street and having his belongings confiscated by police (“Tunisia fast facts”, 2017, Timeline section). This act of protest sparked nationwide protests and channeled Tunisia’s discontent into a revolutionary movement (“Tunisia fast facts”, 2017, Timeline section). Over the course of about a month, the Tunisian people were able to oust Ben Ali (who fled the nation on the fourteenth of January 2011) and his regime through a nationwide revolution (“Tunisian Revolution”, 2015, para. 4). The removal of this long-standing, autocratic regime had major impacts within Tunisia and unsettled autocratic regimes throughout the Middle East.

For a more detailed overview of the Tunisian Revolution, please watch the above animation. The animation provides a brief glimpse into the Tunisian Revolution and Tunisia’s history since. It highlights the causes of the Tunisian Revolution, the successes of the Tunisian Revolution, and Tunisia’s struggles since the ousting of Ben Ali. Alternatively, consider reading CNN’s country profile of Tunisia, which incorporates a timeline highlighting notable events in the Tunisian Revolution.

Tunisia After Ben Ali

After Ben Ali and his family fled the country, Tunisian Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi announced the formation of a unity government incorporating multiple political parties (“Tunisia fast facts”, 2017, Timeline section). On the twenty-third of October 2011, Tunisians elected members of their parliament, the National Constituent Assembly (“Tunisia fast facts”, 2017, Timeline section). The removal of Ben Ali and election of a new government has not solved Tunisia’s problems, however. Changes in government and protests have continued in the years following the Tunisian Revolution, social and economic problems are still widespread, and terrorist activities continue to threaten the country (“Tunisia fast facts”, 2017, Timeline section). Tunisia continues to face great challenges and instability today, leading many to question its future.

The Arab Spring: A Result of Tunisia’s Revolution

The events in Tunisia inspired similar revolts throughout the Middle East. Protests toppled regimes in Egypt, overthrew Gaddafi in Libya, challenged Assad in Syria, and put pressure on dictators throughout the Middle East. (Khalidi, 2011, para. 15). These events came to be known as the Arab Spring (“Tunisian Revolution”, 2015, para. 4). This challenge to the Middle East’s political order presented the people of the Middle East with both opportunities and risks. The events of the Arab Spring also proved a geopolitical challenge for the United States, which relied on friendly autocratic regimes throughout the Middle East to maintain stability and exert its influence in the region (Waterman, 2011, para. 9).