Democratization in Tunisia and Elite Theory

Abstract

This study focuses on democratization process in Tunisia since January 14th, 2011, the date President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali left the country. The article examines democratization and normalization process of Tunisia as a starting point of the Arab Uprisings through the conceptual framework of elite choice theory. The theory postulates that if softliner regime and opposition elites cooperate, democratization process succeeds. Based upon this assumption, this paper seeks to answer how it was possible for Tunisia to follow a more successful transition path when compared to the other countries in the region through the steps and policies implemented by the representatives of the leading softliner actors in the Tunisian regime and opposition.

Keywords

Tunisia, Elite Theory, Hardliner and Softliner Elites, the Arab Uprisings, Democratization and Transition Process

Citation

Mercan, M. Hüseyin and Kılavuz, M. Tahir, “Democratization in Tunisia and Elite Theory”, International Relations, Volume 14, Issue 55, 2017, pp. 75-92.

Affiliations

• M. Hüseyin MERCAN, Research Assistant, Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Erciyes University
• M. Tahir KILAVUZ, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Notre Dame