Middle East Research and Information Project

Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971

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Aytuğ Şaşmaz

Aytuğ Şaşmaz is a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and Rule of Law.

The Collapse of Tunisia’s Party System and the Rise of Kais Saied
Police officers stand guard outside the parliament building in Tunis, Tunisia, two days after President Kais Saied sacked the prime minister and froze parliament. July 27, 2021. Zoubeir Souissi/Reuters
Current Analysis

The Collapse of Tunisia’s Party System and the Rise of Kais Saied

Ten years after the Tunisian people overthrew the country's authoritarian ruler, their democracy is in crisis. On July 25, 2021, Tunisian President Kais Saied invoked Article 80, the emergency clause in the constitution, to sack the prime minister and freeze the activities of parliament. Nate Grubma
Nate Grubman, Aytuğ Şaşmaz • 13 min read