Tunisian Elections and Conflict in Syria

Tunisian Elections and Conflict in Syria

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Tunisia Elections: Economic Reality Check

By Bouchra Aquil Lawrence

With less than a month to go before the historic Constituent Assembly elections on October 23, there remains a disturbingly large disconnect between the aspirations of Tunisian voters and what the parties appear poised to deliver.

Constituent Assembly elections will move Tunisia, hopefully, one step closer to fulfilling the democratic aspirations of its nearly 11 million people. They will bring an end to a somewhat rocky nine-month period in which Tunisia was governed by the Higher Authority for the Realization of the Objectives of the Revolution, for Political Reform, and Democratic Transition. During these months, Tunisia was shaken by intermittent conflict and frequent protests. The main disconnect in Tunisian politics seems to be between the Tunisian street--which is focused primarily on jobs and the economy, secondarily on security, and finally on "justice"--and parties scrambling in real time to find creative, convincing, and authentically Tunisian answers to these thorny questions. Read More.

Read this article in Arabic.

Reconciling the Diaspora and the Street: Syrian Opposition Efforts to Unite

With protests in Syria well into their seventh consecutive month, options for the Asad regime appear to be growing narrower by the day. Meanwhile, the opposition is becoming bolder and more conscious of the pressing need to coalesce around a united national body that will pursue the uprising's goals of bringing down the Asad regime and transitioning to democratic parliamentary and presidential elections. Read More.

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