Publication

This commentary discusses the Tunisian political and economic crisis that followed the fall of Ben Ali and the EU's role in stabilizing the country. Since ousting its dictator divisions have proved to be complex and multifaceted and the fragile stability has barely been sustainable. The replacement of Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali by the former head of the Ministry of Interior, Ali Laarayedh, after the former's failure to form a technocratic government has undermined the chances of a quick resolution of the political crisis. Moreover, Standard and Poor's downgrading of Tunisia's sovereign credit rating throws another obstacle in the way of economic recovery.