Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
While the departure of President Ben Ali does not necessarily signal a democratic transition, the international community can play a role in creating space for a genuine democracy to take root in Tunisia.
With nearly 1 in 3 Tunisian youth unemployed, the country’s policymakers must develop a strategic vision for growth and create jobs quickly.
Oil-importing countries in the Middle East and North Africa were relatively unharmed by the Great Recession, but in the changing global economy, new policies are needed to ensure that growth remains robust.
With budget deficits on the rise, the Middle East and North Africa’s oil importing countries must reform their fuel subsidy programs, which benefit the rich more than the poor and waste fiscal resources.
The private sector has become the main driver of growth in the Middle East and North Africa, but more consistent and equitable regulations are needed to transform the region into a diversified, high-performance economy.
Tunisian President Benali has been in power for 22 years and he continues to justify stalling political reforms by pointing to the "Islamist threat." Today, there is certainly no chance to have an Islamist party in Tunisia but any democratic reconsideration of the regime is impossible as well.
Non-oil producing countries in the Middle East and North Africa have spent the last decade working to achieve fiscal consolidation. Governments in each of these countries must look beyond the global crisis and make courageous trade-offs to ensure a sustainable future for public finances.
Despite some steps to increase the appearance of pluralism, President Ben Ali and the ruling party are in no danger of losing upcoming elections. Still, elections provide a window through which a different political future might be glimpsed.
Though the Maghreb escaped the first wave of the global economic crisis and its growth expectations for 2009 are positive, dramatic falls in commodity prices and world trade will continue to present serious challenges in the coming months.
This volume examines the Arab world’s major political actors, assesses the weaknesses of secular parties, and evaluates how incumbent regimes have maintained their grip on power in spite of reform-oriented claims.