Publication

The political transitions in North Africa appear to be faltering, with the early stages of democracy showing the dangers of political competition as much as its benefits. Two years after the revolutions, are majority domination and social division pushing out the prospect of genuine inclusive democracies in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya? This paper argues that this is a crucial period for the development of competitive democracy in all three countries, and the EU can play a leading role in supporting it. A key message of the last two years is that stability in the transition countries will only be possible on the basis of pluralism and genuine reform.