Publication

Several weeks of violent anti-government demonstrations in Tunisia, which led to the resignation of President Zin al-Abidin Ben Ali on 14 January 2011 are an unprecedented event in the history of the state. France’s highly restrained position on these incidents is consistent with previous French policy towards Tunisia. For more than two decades, support from Paris for the former president was intended to guarantee stability in Tunisia and protect the country against the development of Islamic fundamentalism within its territory. In the future, any assistance to Tunisia should be conditioned on Tunisian authorities’ respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.