Category: Blog
Tunisia: How Extreme Secularism Feeds Religious Extremism
A proposal by the Tunisian minster of religious affairs to organise a Quran teaching course for pupils during the summer holidays triggered a new round of tensions and media polarisation among Tunisians. Secularists took to media outlets denouncing another attempt,...
Tunisia: Beji Caid Essebsi Halts Constitutional Amendment, for Now
Soufian Toubal, a member of the National Assembly in the Nidaa Tounes bloc announced that his party was in the consultations with experts within the legal committee of the assembly to amend laws 32 and 33, in order to grant...
Libya: International Support is not Enough for Sarraj to Hold Tripoli
On Wednesday 30 March, Faiz al-Sarraj, president-designate of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) arrived in Bu-Setta naval base in Tripoli. Sarraj’s arrival was secured by Misratan armed groups, especially Al Nawasi and the Tripoli-based Rada’a militia. Nouri Bousahmin,...
Faiz al-Sarraj’s GNA moving to Tripoli “within days”
The political deadlock persists in Libya with Faiz al-Sarraj’s Government of National Accord (GNA) unable to move from Tunis to Tripoli, despite al-Sarraj’s assertion that his cabinet will move to Tripoli “within days”, and rumours of ongoing preparations to host...
Turning Around in Libya
During a briefing session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the United Nations Special Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), explained that minorities in the Tobruk House of Representatives (HoR) and the Tripoli General National Congress...
How to Reform Tunisia’s Security Sector
The renewal of the state of emergency in Tunisia last week coupled with yet another pay raise for security forces, following their protests last January, have refocussed discussion about the reform of the security sector as Tunisia navigates its way...
Libya: Ongoing Political Deadlock over the GNA
The Presidency Council, headed by Prime Minister-designate, Faiez al-Serraj, has failed to meet the deadline of 9 February 2016 – set by the House of Representatives (HoR) – to present a second proposed list for the Government of National Accord....
Deep Society and Deep State: The Limits of the Political Consensus in Tunisia
The wave of protests that swept across Tunisia’s north west, centre and southern towns and villages over the past ten days betrays the limits of the political elite consensus between Nidaa Tunis and Ennahda. In a scenario reminiscent of Bouazizi’s...