Photo Gallery Tunisia's Murky Future
The Islamist party Ennahda, led by Rachid Ghannouchi (seen here), has governed Tunisia in a coalition with two secular parties since elections were held two years ago. Tunisia's complicated but hopeful transition to democracy has come to a standstill, and the country has plunged into a serious crisis. Last week, work on the country's new constitution was suspended, even though this is the gridlocked parliament's main task.
The murders of two left-wing politicians over the last six months have sparked waves of anti-government protests. But these protests have been met by counter-protests of people who either support the government or, more generally, stronger ties between the state and Islam.
The Islamist government's largely secular opponents are calling for the immediately dissolution of the country's elected Constituent Assembly. Most would rather see a government made up of independent technocrats. Ennahda may not have actually hired the individuals who killed the two opposition politicians, the party's opponents say, but they still hold the government at least politically responsible for the murders because it was too hesitant in dealing with the extremists.
The situation in Tunisia resembles the one in Egypt: The country is divided, with Islamists on one side, their opponents on the other and a deep chasm between them. And here, too, a democratically elected government led by Islamists now faces mass demonstrations calling for them to resign. Here, anti-government protests gather near the parliament building in Tunis on Aug. 6, 2013.
