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

Islamist threat. The problem is that party elites tend to be more militant in their
secularism than the majority of voters, with the result being an array of parties on the Left
that lack broader appeal.
Politics will always be a messy game driven by the logic of the ballot box. Setting
aside the greater responsibilities of political leaders, polling data seems to suggest that it
would be politically popular to forge some pact on the country’s identity, which would
not eliminate divisions but at least allow for the political debate to move beyond its
current obsession with identity issues. Such reconciliation cannot be mandated through
policy; it can only be realized through the wisdom of political leaders to recognize the
fragility of their country’s transition and the sacrifices made to achieve a better political,
social and economic life for Tunisians.
Policy Recommendations
Many of the country’s current political problems will self-correct through signals voters
will send through the ballot box. If the lessons from the country’s first free and fair
elections were not clear to all, the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections will
provide another opportunity to reinforce them and perhaps offer new lessons to the
parties. Indeed, the Left is streamlining with several parties in talks to form a new
coalition. Time will tell if parties such as the PDP adjust their outreach methods and
messaging to appeal to a broader audience. As political analyst Radwan Masmoudi noted,
the country could benefit from the entrance of an exciting new secular party, which does
not prioritize freedom of expression above economic and security issues (SAIS Group
Meeting, 25 January 2012). It seems Masmoudi is correct in his analysis based on the fact
that a majority of the country voted for secular parties and many secularists voted for
Ennahdha based on its reputation for being able to get things done. It is up to a smart
political entrepreneur to recognize and take advantage of the opportunity for such a party.
Turning to the realm of public policy, the main objective of electoral reform
should be to further level the playing field to ensure equal opportunity for parties to
compete politically and to allow new parties to emerge. To this end, two policy
recommendations are offered below:
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