Tunisia: Understanding Conflict 2012 - Johns Hopkins School of ...

Political Party Development
Amy Hamblin
Overview
In the last decade of Ben Ali’s rule, the country’s political system seemed increasingly
out of touch with the majority of its people. The ruling party that had in various
incarnations existed since the country’s founding no longer enjoyed popular or grassroots
enthusiasm—nor did its leader, Ben Ali. The eight legal opposition parties were weak,
only expressing muted dissent in exchange for the privilege to participate formally in the
political system (Long, Reich, and Gasiorowski 2010, 519). The only group with the
potential to transform itself into a major political force—Ennahdha—was banned from
forming a party. In short, the ossified political system at the time of the uprising in
Tunisia was unable to respond to rising demands and discontent. The fact that tens of
thousands of Tunisians were driven into the streets to express their grievances revealed
the extent to which the Tunisian population no longer felt that their formal political
system was responsive to their demands.
Following Ben Ali’s departure, the formal political sphere was reconstituted in an
attempt to become once again the legitimate channel for political activity. The adoption
of a genuine multiparty system was supposed to inspire faith in the ability of political
institutions to mediate between conflicting interests—rather than through protest or
violent activity. Within months of Ben Ali’s fall, the country went from having eight
recognized opposition parties to more than 100 political parties. The multitude of newly
formed parties was interpreted by many as a positive development showing the high level
of enthusiasm for the democratic process. There was also the assumption that the large
volume of parties would guarantee that all Tunisians felt represented by the political
system.
The proliferation of parties, however, belies the fact that many Tunisians still do
not feel engaged or are dissatisfied with the current political landscape. Approximately
51.7% of all eligible voters participated in the National Constituent Assembly (NCA)
elections in October. The seemingly low turnout for the country’s first free and fair
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