Nobel Prize 2015: Tunisia a beacon of democratic light in troubled Middle East

Nobel Prize 2015: Tunisia a beacon of democratic light in troubled Middle East

CAIRO — The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Tunisia’s National Dialogue Quartet is a nod to the lone Arab country that succeeded in democratic transition after a political uprising.

     Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution of 2011 overthrew the government of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, igniting the political storm that has turned into the larger Arab Spring. While other Arab countries succumbed to chaos and violence, Tunisia’s success has been hailed as a model of democratic transformation.

     The quartet — consisting of labor union, a human rights group and two other organizations — made a crucial contribution to creating a democratic government by persuading the Islamist and secularist camps to find common ground.

     The coalition made possible the process that led to the inauguration of a new government in February. A new constitution touting such democratic ideals as protection of human rights, gender equality and freedom of religion was adopted in January 2014. And presidential and parliamentary elections were held later that year under the new constitution.

     Few expected the group to receive the prize. University professor Abdel Latif Hannachi says the prize will raise awareness about the importance of political dialogue in the Mideast and North Africa.

     As refugees flood Europe, and U.S.-Russian tensions deepen over the Syrian civil war, the Norwegian Nobel Committee expressed its high hopes for Tunisia.

     Libya, Yemen, and Syria fell into bloody turmoil in the wake of the Arab Spring. Egypt regressed to an autocratic government after a military coup. Turmoil squashed dreams for democracy in the region, and the political vacuum provided an opening for extremists such as the Islamic State to flourish.

     It was a lucky break for Tunisia that the quartet emerged as a mediator. After the Ben Ali government collapsed, a caretaker government of a coalition led by Ennahda, an Islamic fundamentalist party, took power. The dialogue between Islamist forces and secular groups brokered by the quartet helped the country escape bloody conflict.

     Still, Tunisia is not free of problems. This year has seen several terrorist attacks targeting tourists. The country’s economy remains sluggish. With militants infiltrating from neighboring Libya, terrorism remains a threat. And more than 3,000 Tunisians are said to have joined the Islamic State. The selection of the Nobel Peace Prize represents hope for stability in the Middle East.

Nobel Prize 2015: Tunisia a beacon of democratic light in troubled Middle East