Will Tunisia's new dawn be another false one?

On September 2nd, 2020, the Tunisian parliament approved Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi’s government. This is the 12th government since 2011 and the third attempt at government formation since the October 2019 elections that brought this parliament into power.

‘Reform this government’

Two major issues are facing Tunisia today, namely polarisation and corruption.

Growing polarisation sometimes manifests itself in violent interactions between politicians within the halls of parliament. Some of the most vicious attacks have been lobbied between the Karama Party and the Abir Moussi’s Free Destourian Party. Karama Party is a conservative Islamist party pushing for a larger role of religion within the state, while Abir Moussi’s Free Destourian Party is made up largely of supporters of the former regime, who are fed up with the democratic transition. While the fight is often framed as a secularist-Islamist divide, the reality is far more complex, with fights over religion as well as the Tunisian identity and deeper social issues. 

Rather than forming a government representing various party interests, Mr. Mechichi chose to arrange a “technocratic” government. Ministers are selected based on their technical skills, instead of political affiliation. Mr. Mechichi’s decision to depoliticize the government could be a smart move, as it mitigated the dissatisfaction of the public regarding the previous political establishment.

Although Tunisia has made tremendous strides in knocking down the mafia-like structures that dominated the Ben Ali era, many of the practices that allowed corruption to flourish have yet to change. Mr. Mechichi and his government will need to work closely with the new head of the National Anti-Corruption Body, Imed Boukhris, to keep the anti-corruption fight moving forward. Most recently, Mr. Mechichi established his own committee to fight corruption and recover stolen assets. The committee will be housed under the presidency, despite corruption falling clearly under the mandate of the prime minister, signaling that even with his close ties to Mr. Mechichi, he wants to maintain strict control over the anti-corruption agenda.

The new dawn

Tunisia is embarking on a critical period. December will mark the 10th anniversary of the revolution and will shine a spotlight on the country’s successes – and failures – of the past decade. Together with the passion, pride, and hope of the Tunisian, Tunisia’s new leaders should figure out a way to put politics aside and take on the difficult tasks necessary to thrust their country and make Tunisia flourish in the Arab world.