Tunisia Series Episode 1: “Tunisia’s Amatuer Autocrat: The Rise of Kais Saied”

Episode 1: Tunisia’s Amatuer Autocrat: The Rise of Kais Saied

This episode delves into the current state of democracy in Tunisia and traces the country’s political journey since the Arab Spring. It focuses on the role of societal groups, the political dynamics at play, and how President Saied rose to power. The episode aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the internal political developments leading up to Saied’s consolidation of power.

Tarek Megerisi is a senior policy fellow with the Middle East and North Africa program at the European Council on Foreign Relations. His work mainly addresses how European policymaking towards the Maghreb and Mediterranean regions can become more strategic, harmonious, and incisive – with a long-term focus on Libya.

For more than a decade, Megerisi has worked with various regional, European, and multilateral authorities on providing reform and stabilization assistance to transitional states in the Middle East and North Africa. He has been involved in a range of projects, including post-conflict stabilization, development and democratization, Libya’s domestic and international political processes, economic reform in Tunisia, and the eastern Mediterranean disputes. His articles have featured in publications such as Foreign Policy magazine and the Guardian newspaper, and he has contributed to think-tank programming across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa.