Last week’s attack on the Bardo museum right in the heart of Tunis put the spotlight on Tunisia’s vulnerability. The country is rightly hailed for its inclusive transition from dictatorship to democracy, which was carried out by elected civilians. Since the adoption of the new constitution in January 2014, it has also been widely described as the one country in the region that is achieving democratic stability. But the reality is more complicated.
Demonstration in front of the Bardo museum after the attack. Hamideddine Bouali/Demotix. All rights reserved.
With its weak economy and now even more obvious security challenges, Tunisia could derail in two different ways: on the one hand, the country could gradually be drawn into the regional vortex of violence, if the state fails to respond to the security challenges that have become more acute since neighbouring Libya descended into chaos.
