Tag: Democracy
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...
Leon’s Libyan Dialogue Encounters Hurdles along the Road to Geneva
UNSMIL announced over the weekend that a new round of Libyan political dialogue would take place in Geneva on Wednesday 14 January, this week. Despite the shuttle diplomacy effort, that Bernardino Leon seems to have carried out to consult with...
Libya: Algiers renews its Engagement in the Libyan Dialogue Process
The first two weeks of Martin Kobler’s leadership of UNSMIL have been a period of intense diplomatic activity. Kobler has already indicated that he will start his mediation efforts where his predecessor left off, but made it clear that “Leon...
Tunisia: Bloody Attack on Presidential Guard Prompts Stringent Security Measures
The bloody attack in Tunis on 24 November, which killed a dozen presidential guards, prompted a series of new security measures from the government. The Tunisian government raised the security alert to the highest (third) level, including an 8-hour curfew...
Tunisia: President Beji Essebsi Weighs in Again to Resolve Nidaa Party’s Crisis
The political crisis within Nidaa Tounes persists, and it seems that the attack in Tunis did not slow the escalation of the crisis with Nidaa Tounes. Indeed, the rivalry between the Hafedh Essebsi group and Mouhcen Merzouk loyalists led to...
Lybia: Kobler takes over Leon’s unfinished Job
German career diplomat Martin Kobler has taken over the duties of Bernardino Leon as UN envoy to Libya. The change came following what Libyan affairs observers considered a Libya-gate scandal in the wake of the leaked emails of Leon, obtained...
Tunisia: Nidaa Tounes on the Brink of Disintegration?
The crisis within the ruling party Nidaa Tounes over the holding of a constituent congress meeting persists. The power struggle over the leadership of the party between what have come to be called the Leftist camp and the Destourian camp...
Tunisia: Crisis at Nidaa Tounes Party
Until recently limited to political differences, the crisis within Nidaa Tounes party turned violent and when a group of thugs attacked a hotel, where the executive bureau of the party was preparing to hold a meeting, at Hammamat, last Sunday....