Progress Amid Resistance

504 WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICAhigh-level positions within the executive branch in greater numbers andtheir representation within parliament has increased. However, while morewomen are working in government at the local and regional level than everbefore, they are still underrepresented in political and community life. 66Tunisia is a republic with a strong presidential system. Since independence,the country has had only two presidents. The first, HabibBourguiba, was the principal architect of Tunisia’s independence andruled from 1956 to 1987. Current president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, whooverthrew Bourguiba in November 1987, won his fifth five-year term aspresident on October 25, 2009. He plays a central role in the political lifeof Tunisia, 67 and is responsible for appointing the prime minister and othermembers of the cabinet. He is also president of the ruling political party,the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD), whose members hold 161of the 214 seats in the elected Chamber of Deputies (the lower house ofparliament). The 126-seat Chamber of Advisors (upper house), which isalso dominated by the RCD, was created by a 2002 constitutional amendmentand first convened in 2005. The dominance of the RCD grants itimportant prerogatives, allowing little room for dissent, but other politicalparties are represented in both houses of parliament; six opposition partieshold 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.Women have made small gains in parliamentary elections in recent yearsand hold more parliamentary seats than their counterparts in neighboringcountries. Eighty-five seats for the Chamber of Advisors are filled indirectlyby an electoral college that consists of municipal councilors and regionalcouncil members. The remaining 41 seats are appointed by the president. Todate, only 112 of the available seats are filled because UGTT has boycottedthe elections, refusing to fill the 14 seats allotted to it. In 2005, eight womenwere voted into office and seven more were appointed by the president, givingwomen 13.4 percent of the chamber’s occupied seats. In August 2008,renewal elections were held for half of the chamber, with four women winningseats. At the same time, the president appointed 20 new councilors,including five women. These nine women joined the eight existing femalecouncilors, bringing women’s representation up to 15.2 percent. 68Renewal elections for the Chamber of Deputies were held in October2009 and were characterized by increased women’s presence. Women nowhold 27.6 percent of the seats, an increase from 22.8 percent after thelast elections in 2004. 69 Notably, both houses of parliament have a female