Could the US have saved democracy in Tunisia?
As Biden focuses on democracy promotion abroad, it’s important to return to one of Washington’s biggest missed opportunities.
As Biden focuses on democracy promotion abroad, it’s important to return to one of Washington’s biggest missed opportunities.
The recent apathetic vote to give the current president more autocratic powers is a reflection of many missed opportunities on our part.
With a full economic collapse looming, an intervention by the military is becoming a distinct possibility.
If it is to avoid going in that direction, there urgently needs to be a unified opposition and pressure from the outside.
The Tunisian president will probably look to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia for support, and other Arab states such as Egypt.
The US or the EU may need to get involved as regional actors are stepping in to push their authoritarian agendas.
President Kais Saied may lean toward regional autocrats to help relieve ongoing health and economic crises, complicating relations with the United States.
The 2011 uprisings lacked a transnational movement strong enough to challenge powerful despots and their friends in Washington.