German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

Hager Ali

Defense Against Small Parties: Electoral Reforms and their Impact on Tunisia's Electoral System since the Arab Spring

Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft | 2022

Abstract

Tunisia's political system suffers from recurrent problems with govern-ability and proportionality. A volatile party landscape, frequent cabinet reshuffles, and political gridlocks repeatedly jeopardized stability and democratic progress since the Arab Spring. Major and minor electoral reforms were undertaken in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022, but they were unable to diffuse either of these issues. This analysis is therefore driven by two central questions: How have Tunisia's electoral laws changed since the Arab Spring? And why have these reforms failed to improve both govern-ability and proportionality? It will be argued that because Tunisia's party landscape is fractured and volatile only on the secularist side of the spectrum, coalitions with and against Ennahda are costly to all parties involved, worsening the overall quality of political representation. By analyzing the trajectory of major and minor electoral reforms longitudinally, this paper finds that Tunisia's electoral reforms incremen-tally restricted the electoral system by limiting parties' and candidates' capacity to compete in elections. Through modifying legislation on campaign finance and subsidies , gender parity, and candidacy requirements, and finally abolishing Tunisia's closed list PR-system in 2022, reforms benefit established older parties and wealthier candidates while fortifying the electoral system against newer and less wealthy contenders. Tunisia's electoral reforms are inadequate in addressing governability and proportionality because restricting electoral competition alone cannot improve the quality of representation through political parties.

Regional Institutes

GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies

Research Programmes

Accountability and Participation

Journal

Zeitschrift für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft

Volume

16

Number

3

Pages

483-503

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12286-023-00561-z

Link

https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-86335-6

Hager Ali

Hager Ali

Doctoral Researcher

T. +49 40 42825-526 [email protected]

Tunisia’s Autocratisation under President Kais Saied

GIGA Focus Middle East | 4/2023

Tunisia’s Autocratisation under President Kais Saied

After the Arab uprisings, Tunisia would emerge as the only Arab democracy. President Kais Saied’s July 2021 coup has, however, led to the autocratisation of the state. This GIGA Focus traces Saied’s base of support, his strategies, and rhetoric, as well as their implications for Tunisia’s future.

Dr. Kressen Thyen

Associate

Dr. Maria Josua

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

Entrenching Military Power through Constitutions: Introducing the REPEAL Database

Conference | 25/03/2024 - 28/03/2024

Entrenching Military Power through Constitutions: Introducing the REPEAL Database

ECPR Joint Sessions 2024, Leuphana University, Lüneburg Hager Ali (Speaker)

To investigate how both military and civilian autocratic rulers regulate their armed forces, this paper introduces a new dataset.

Doctoral Researcher

Factionalism

Elgar Encyclopedias in Sociology Series | 12/2023

Factionalism

In this book chapter, Matthijs Bogaards (Central European University) and Hager Ali (GIGA) review the literature on factionalism and factions in political parties as well as other organizations.

Prof. Dr. Matthijs Bogaards

Associate

Doctoral Researcher

Afrique: La Tunisie, pays de départ hostile vers l'Europe

All Africa | Quote | 18/12/2023

Afrique: La Tunisie, pays de départ hostile vers l'Europe

La Tunisie est devenu un important pays de départ vers l'Europe. Les migrants subsahariens y devenus les boucs émissaires des problèmes économiques du pays.

Doctoral Researcher

The Role of Militaries in Authoritarianism Research: Looking Past the Head of the Executive

Conference | 13/10/2023 - 15/10/2023

The Role of Militaries in Authoritarianism Research: Looking Past the Head of the Executive

Armed Forces and Society Biennal International Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Reston, Virginia Organisers: Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society Hager Ali (Speaker)

This article outlines the range of roles militaries play in authoritarian regimes, and how they have been studied in authoritarianism research and civil-military studies.

Doctoral Researcher

Constitutional Entrenchment of Military Oversight: Introducing the REPEAL-Database

Conference | 13/10/2023 - 15/10/2023

Constitutional Entrenchment of Military Oversight: Introducing the REPEAL-Database

Armed Forces and Society Biennal International Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Reston, Virginia Organisers: Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society Hager Ali (Speaker)

This paper introduces a new database on the regulation of Executive Power, Political Systems and Armed Forces in Constitutional Legislation.

Doctoral Researcher

Entrenchment and Erosion, One Reform at a Time: Leveraging Constitutional and Electoral Legislation Across Regime Types

Conference | 04/09/2023 - 08/09/2023

Entrenchment and Erosion, One Reform at a Time: Leveraging Constitutional and Electoral Legislation Across Regime Types

ECPR General Conference 2023, Charles University, Prague Organisers: European Consortium for Political Research Hager Ali (Speaker)

There is consensus in existing research that constitutional and electoral reforms are an important tool in opening or restricting democratic systems by changing the parameters of electoral competition.

Doctoral Researcher

Autocracies with Adjectives: The Need for Better Classifications of Autocratic Regimes

Conference | 04/09/2023 - 08/09/2023

Autocracies with Adjectives: The Need for Better Classifications of Autocratic Regimes

ECPR General Conference 2023, Charles University, Prague Organisers: European Consortium for Political Research Hager Ali (Speaker)

Hager Ali presents her paper "Autocracies with Adjectives: The Need for Better Classifications of Autocratic Regimes" at the ECPR General Conference 2023 in Prague. The presentation is part of the panel "Classifying Contemporary Authoritarian and Hybrid Regimes: Old Questions, New Data, and Salvaged Concepts", co-chaired by her.

Doctoral Researcher

Tunisia’s Autocratisation under President Kais Saied

GIGA Focus Middle East | 4/2023

Tunisia’s Autocratisation under President Kais Saied

After the Arab uprisings, Tunisia would emerge as the only Arab democracy. President Kais Saied’s July 2021 coup has, however, led to the autocratisation of the state. This GIGA Focus traces Saied’s base of support, his strategies, and rhetoric, as well as their implications for Tunisia’s future.

Dr. Kressen Thyen

Associate

Dr. Maria Josua

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

The Role of Militaries in Authoritarianism Research: Looking Past the Head of the Executive

Conference | 13/10/2023 - 15/10/2023

The Role of Militaries in Authoritarianism Research: Looking Past the Head of the Executive

Armed Forces and Society Biennal International Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Reston, Virginia Organisers: Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society Hager Ali (Speaker)

This article outlines the range of roles militaries play in authoritarian regimes, and how they have been studied in authoritarianism research and civil-military studies.

Doctoral Researcher

Constitutional Entrenchment of Military Oversight: Introducing the REPEAL-Database

Conference | 13/10/2023 - 15/10/2023

Constitutional Entrenchment of Military Oversight: Introducing the REPEAL-Database

Armed Forces and Society Biennal International Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Reston, Virginia Organisers: Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society Hager Ali (Speaker)

This paper introduces a new database on the regulation of Executive Power, Political Systems and Armed Forces in Constitutional Legislation.

Doctoral Researcher

Entrenchment and Erosion, One Reform at a Time: Leveraging Constitutional and Electoral Legislation Across Regime Types

Conference | 04/09/2023 - 08/09/2023

Entrenchment and Erosion, One Reform at a Time: Leveraging Constitutional and Electoral Legislation Across Regime Types

ECPR General Conference 2023, Charles University, Prague Organisers: European Consortium for Political Research Hager Ali (Speaker)

There is consensus in existing research that constitutional and electoral reforms are an important tool in opening or restricting democratic systems by changing the parameters of electoral competition.

Doctoral Researcher

Autocracies with Adjectives: The Need for Better Classifications of Autocratic Regimes

Conference | 04/09/2023 - 08/09/2023

Autocracies with Adjectives: The Need for Better Classifications of Autocratic Regimes

ECPR General Conference 2023, Charles University, Prague Organisers: European Consortium for Political Research Hager Ali (Speaker)

Hager Ali presents her paper "Autocracies with Adjectives: The Need for Better Classifications of Autocratic Regimes" at the ECPR General Conference 2023 in Prague. The presentation is part of the panel "Classifying Contemporary Authoritarian and Hybrid Regimes: Old Questions, New Data, and Salvaged Concepts", co-chaired by her.

Doctoral Researcher

Tunisia’s Autocratisation under President Kais Saied

GIGA Focus Middle East | 4/2023

Tunisia’s Autocratisation under President Kais Saied

After the Arab uprisings, Tunisia would emerge as the only Arab democracy. President Kais Saied’s July 2021 coup has, however, led to the autocratisation of the state. This GIGA Focus traces Saied’s base of support, his strategies, and rhetoric, as well as their implications for Tunisia’s future.

Dr. Kressen Thyen

Associate

Dr. Maria Josua

Research Fellow / Research Team Spokesperson

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