Tunisia has a history of beating the odds. It was the only country to come out of the Arab Spring as a democracy, and despite a difficult political environment in the country, civil society groups were able to come together to keep the government stable and democracy in place. However, the future of Tunisia’s democracy is at risk after the events of July 25, when Tunisian President Said suspended Parliament and dismissed the Prime Minister. What spurred this decision? What does this move mean for Tunisia’s stability and democracy in the long run? Joining me today to discuss these questions and more is Dr. Sarah Yerkes.
Sarah Yerkes is a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Middle East Program, where her research focuses on Tunisia’s political, economic, and security developments as well as state-society relations in the Middle East and North Africa. Yerkes is a former member of the State Department’s policy planning staff, where she focused on North Africa. Previously, she was a foreign affairs officer in the State’s Department’s Office of Israel and Palestinian affairs. Yerkes also served as a geopolitical research analyst for the U.S. military’s Joint Staff Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate at the Pentagon, advising the Joint Staff leadership on foreign policy and national security issues. I hope you enjoy this episode of the Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs.
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Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs 