On the morning of February 1, 2014, fifty-something Mustafa left his modest house in one of Kasserine’s slums and headed towards the city center, as he did every morning, to go to the governor’s office. Mustafa hoped the governor might offer him a job so he could feed his five children, as opposed to begging […]

Ninety-three-year-old Islamic scholar and author, Muhammad Al-Talbi, insists that Islamists and preachers are promoting misconceptions about Islam. He has angered some hard-line Islamists by maintaining that prostitution is not a sin, homosexuality is not prohibited in the Koran and that Islam is not limited to women wearing veils, punishment by stoning and carrying out the […]

Hamed Karoui, former Prime Minister of Tunisia from 1989 to 1999 and also deputy head of the ruling Rally Party (RCD) until 2008, is making a political comeback.  Like many of his former colleagues, he has a new “look,” and a new political party –Constitutional Movement (CM). Hamed Karoui, former Prime Minister of Tunisia from […]

Mohammed Ghiryani, former Secretary General of the Constitutional Democratic Rally party from 2008 until it was dissolved in March 2011, has been neither the first remnant of the former regime to be imprisoned nor the first to leave it. Looking back, 52-year-old Ghiryani concedes that his party made some mistakes and has called upon its […]

When Ben Ali’s party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally, was dissolved on 9 March 9 2011, all of its members withdrew from the public eye.  Those who appeared on TV or in newspaper interviews did so to “erase” their past and denounce the ousted dictator. Only three years later, the country is witnessing a media comeback […]

Tunisia’s recent domestic terrorism troubles are reminiscent of neighbouring Algeria’s ‘Black Decade,’ which was characterized by armed conflict between the Algerian state and armed Islamic Groups that emerged from the Islamic Salvation Front. These Algerian terrorist groups, who made the mountains their strongholds, carried out assassinations, kidnappings and suicide bombings as well as created fake […]

I was on my way to Tunis from my hometown of Gafsa on February 7, (about 400 kilometers away), to participate in a Correspondents workshop.  Because of the long distance, I left at 5:00 in the morning with my friend Wisam. We were surprised to see tens of security officers deployed individually and in groups […]

Despite the success of ratifying a new Constitution and the formation of a technocrat non-partisan government, Tunisia’s ‘Leagues for the Protection of the Revolution’ remain an obstacle to completing the national dialogue process and the preparation of fair and transparent elections. The road map stressed the importance of dissolving these leagues; secular and liberal parties […]

Hamma Hammami, the official Spokesperson of the Popular Front and Secretary General of the Workers Party, speaks about his colleagues’ reaction to the new Constitution and the new government. Hamma Hammami, the official Spokesperson of the Popular Front and Secretary General of the Workers Party, speaks about his colleagues’ reaction to the new Constitution and […]

A year after her husband, Chokri Belaid was gunned down outside of his home, hundreds of supporters gathered at the site of his assassination on February 6 to show their support for the popular leftist politician who had been a harsh critic of the Ennahda movement. Just in time for the anniversary, the government led […]