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

are rumored to consist only of 3,000 followers, who were allegedly youth converted from
their exposure to Saudi television, yet they have a profound effect in changing the
political debate through their actions (SAIS Group Meeting, Tunis, 23 January 2012).
Ultimately, a link needs to be drawn between politicizing the youth and a collective buyin
of these fringe groups to the democratic process. The politicians’ failure to do so
during the NCA election highlights where improvements need to be made to encourage
the youth to participate actively in the political process. The youth were neglected during
a very fragile time in Tunisia’s transition, but this does not have to continue. Now is the
time to recognize the importance of the youth’s role in Tunisia’s transition, to engage the
youth who have interest in changing Tunisia, and to educate those who have not been
convinced that change is possible through democratic means.
Recommendations
Though never before politicized, the Tunisian youth show their willingness to participate
in Tunisia’s politics regardless of their absence in the 2011 NCA election. Youth,
distrustful of party politics, channel their concerns through other means, such as social
networking sites, civil society organizations, and sometimes through protests or sit-ins.
While some of these methods are constructive and effective for seeking political voice,
ultimately the political parties will have to get the youth’s buy-in to the formalized
system of party politics for Tunisia’s democratic transition to be successful. Efforts to
address the concerns of the youth and pull them back into the transition process must be
made in the short term, medium term, and long term, with the understanding that
socializing a generation in democratic values cannot happen overnight.
Short-term
• The current transitional government and the political actors need to create a
clear and honest political discourse about Tunisia’s state of affairs on job
creation. Much of the current chaos that has resulted in illegal strikes and sit-ins in
the interior of the country is a product of the increasing slow-down of the economy
due to weary investors and clients. The government could improve this climate by
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