A career in journalism took Francis Ghilès to the heart of power in the post-independence states of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. He saw at first hand how the oil and natural-gas industries in Algeria fuelled state ambitions, political rivalries and dreams of open frontiers. In a rich personal ref
Arab Awakening's columnists offer their weekly perspective on what is happening on the ground in the Middle East. Leading the week, Why use violence against peaceful protesters?
In Tunisia, the resigning former Prime Minister and Ennahda leader, Hamadi Jebali, is being groomed for a presidential role by his party as well as international players, in a bid to market an “acceptable” Islamism.
After long heated debates, a final draft of Tunisia’s new constitution was released last week by the National Constituent Assembly.
After spending roughly one year in governing positions, the MB and Ennahda seem under pressure from frustrated publics who feel that a zero-change status quo is currently in situ. So who will the people turn to?
In November, two graffiti artists were arrested for writing on the wall of a university: “the people want rights for the poor” and “the poor are the living-dead in Tunisia.”
Hundreds joined the young man’s funeral procession in Jendouba and protested against the region’s poverty and economic marginalization.
Such a division over bodies stands in dialectical relationship to the division of the body politic in the country. It is a result of a polarized polity and the visible expression of it at the same time.
The announcement of the long awaited new government in Tunisia coincided with International Women‘s Day. Ironically, only 3 women were appointed in the new cabinet. The exclusion of women from key posts in the government is not a new phenomenon in the history of modern Tunisia.
The ministry's website was also temporarily hacked and a call went out on social media for the staging of a "mega Harlem Shake" in front of the ministry on Friday.
