The Tunisian constitutional transition and debates: Islam, women and other actors in the wake of the post Jasmine revolution

Abstract

The Arab uprising in Tunisia, dubbed the Jasmine Revolution began in 2010, protesting against unemployment, corruption, injustice and the absence of basic freedoms. The Jasmine Revolution ousted Ben Ali, the then president who was in power for more than three decades in 2011. Post Jasmine Revolution saw Tunisia making commendable strides in its transition towards a new all-inclusive democratic political order. However, the transition process has not been without obstacles which could have had the effect of derailing the transition process, such as the assassination of activists Chokri Belaïd and Mohamed Brami, the role and place of Islam, the inclusion of women in the political transition and the most popular Islamic party Ennahda with its rumours of transforming Tunisia into an Islamic state were cause for great concern for all. However, despite these concerns, Tunisia’s new constitutional text is considered to be a radical departure from its previous constitutional texts. After the drafting of various drafts, the 2014 constitutional text has attained the status in the Middle Eastern And North African Region MENA Region as being the most liberal compared to other countries in