THE EFFECT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION’S SOUTHERN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY ON THE TUNISIAN DEMOCRATIZATION PROCESS

Authors : Ben Jennana Marwene, Ozan Örmeci

Pages : 45-67

View : 111 | Download : 64

Publication Date : 2024-03-02

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Tunisia is one of the unique Muslim-dominated countries in the world that holds strong ties to the European Union (EU) of all natures. The country’s imprint of international politics expanded during the Arab Spring process in late 2010. Although the process did not end up with the democratization of the region or Tunisia’s full transition into democracy, it became a historic turning point in breaking clichés about Muslim people’s reluctance to embrace democracy and liberal values. While past studies scrutinized the internal dynamics of this change, the external facet of the transformative Jasmine Revolution remains largely unexplored. In that sense, this study aims to question the role of the EU in advancing a solid democracy in Tunisia focusing on the Brussels’ Southern Neighborhood Policy in Tunis from 2011 to 2015. This study contributes to ongoing debates about the effectiveness of external actors in promoting democratic reforms and stability in non-EU countries and seeks to study the change in the interplay between the two political entities.
Keywords : Tunus, Demokratikleşme, Yasemin Devrimi, AB, Güney Komşuluk Politikası

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