Publication

This brief examines why despite Tunisia's internal political progress towards democratic governance, the country is a leading recruiting ground for Islamic extremist groups such as the Islamic State (IS). The author contends that one main reason is that many political prisoners were released during the transition - including radical clerics and individuals who had been radicalized - and these have been instrumental in radicalizing young people in the country. Another main reason why young people have been attracted to extremist groups is that there is a severe lack of life chances for the country's youth due to the state of Tunisia's economy.