Investigating international factors aiding an authoritarian turn: The case of Tunisia

Abstract

Thesis Title: Investigating international factors aiding an authoritarian turn - The case of Tunisia. Student Number: 45002189 Abstract: This thesis examines the role of the European Union's discourse towards Tunisia since the Arab Spring in contributing to the consolidation of executive power by President Kais Saied over the country's institutions. It connects Tunisia's domestic discourse to theoretical underpinnings from the literature review and transposes the EU's discourse through theory as well. The study first analyzes Tunisia's trajectory in democratic transitions between 2011 and 2014, which initially showed progress but later faced political infighting and instability leading to public discontent. The rise of activated citizenship as a catalyst for regime change is acknowledged, but it becomes ineffective in affecting democratic gains, confirming the significance of elite power. Weak elite relations and perceived corruption render Tunisian institutions vulnerable to power consolidation attempts. Regarding the EU's discourse, it is observed that the EU's targeted democracy promotion efforts did not foster democracy's prosperity in Tunisia. The EU's key elements of discourse focus on economic reforms, but social and institutional reforms receive weak support from powerful political groups, including...