Can't Buy Me Love: The Limitations of EU Intervention in Promoting Tunisian Democracy

Abstract

Despite significant amounts of democratic and civil society aid offered by the EU over the past decade, Tunisia has backslid towards authoritarianism. What lessons can be learned about the effectiveness of democracy promotion in Tunisia from the EU perspective? This thesis aims to examine possible missteps of EU support for Tunisia's transitional democracy. I will argue that populist movements and civil society made transitions into democracy possible for Tunisia, and elite cooperation guaranteed initial success. The EU has made meaningful contributions to this process. However, E. U. funding funneled into narrow channels of civil society, as well as particular definition of democratic norms and development goals, and EU migration and trade agendas have neglected significant segments of the population and their grievances. In these ways the EU has undermined some of its substantial efforts in long-term democracy promotion. Unanswered grievances have set the stage for widespread political disillusionment and the populist backlash against democracy and civic engagement that led to the election of Kais Said. Finally, this thesis will make suggestions towards future EU democracy promotion in Tunisia in light of recent authoritarian regime shifts. For this case study, I will base my arguments on...