In the wake of the 2011 Arab uprisings, Tunisia stood as a beacon of hope for democracy in the Arab world. For a decade, its experiment with pluralism, contested elections, and vibrant civil society seemed to buck a regional trend toward authoritarianism. But as of late November 2025, the Tunisian story has taken a dark turn, reflecting a broader global retreat from democratic norms and an alarming resurgence of authoritarian tactics—not only in North Africa, but across continents.
On November 17, a Tunisian court was set to hear the high-profile appeal in the so-called "Conspiracy Case." This case, which has drawn international condemnation, saw 37 opposition figures, activists, lawyers, and researchers handed prison sentences ranging from four to sixty-six years. According to Human Rights Watch, the process was nothing short of a "masquerade… devoid of fair trial guarantees." Detainees like constitutional law professor Jawher Ben Mbarek have resorted to hunger strikes, a desperate bid to draw attention to what they and their supporters call a judicial farce orchestrated by President Kaïs Saïed’s administration.
The broader context is chilling. Since seizing extraordinary powers in 2021, President Saïed has steadily consolidated authority, using the justice system as a tool to repress political opposition. The anti-corruption rhetoric that once underpinned his rise has given way to a campaign of intimidation and legal persecution, eerily reminiscent of the tactics employed by Tunisia’s pre-revolution strongman, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
The mounting pressure on civil society has spilled into the streets. On November 22, more than a thousand Tunisians—among them the families of political detainees—marched through central Tunis beneath banners reading "Contre l’injustice" (Against Injustice). Their chants echoed through the capital: "Le peuple veut renverser le régime" (The people want to overthrow the regime) and "Ni peur ni terreur, la rue appartient au peuple!" (Neither fear nor terror, the street belongs to the people!). As Monia Brahim, the wife of an imprisoned opposition figure, told reporters, citizens are protesting because they feel "victims of a profound injustice," and political prisoners are being "retained as hostages by the regime." One organizer lamented, "All the progress of the last 14 years have been annihilated."
This wave of repression is not limited to protesters. Journalists have staged their own demonstrations against the shrinking space for press freedom, while prominent civil society organizations have faced temporary suspension. The government’s crackdown has become more sophisticated, employing antiterrorism and cybercrime laws to criminalize dissent and using administrative tactics—such as tax audits and blocked bank transfers—to quietly stifle activism. According to Human Rights Watch, over 50 political figures, journalists, and activists have been subjected to arbitrary arrests or prosecution since late 2022.
The crisis has not gone unnoticed abroad. This week, the European Parliament will hold an urgent debate on Tunisia’s rule of law and human rights situation, with a resolution vote scheduled for November 27. The debate is expected to address emblematic cases, such as the targeting of lawyer Sonia Dahmani, and to question whether Europe’s engagement with Tunisia can continue if the country persists on its current path.
Tunisia’s democratic backsliding is part of a much larger pattern. As the late Madeleine Albright noted in her 2021 writings, there was once hope that the world would see a renewal of democracy, driven by the universal human desire for dignity, accountability, and autonomy. Albright believed that youth activism, robust civil society, and public demands for fairness would eventually break the hold of aging dictatorships. But four years on, the reality is far more sobering. Instead of a democratic resurgence, authoritarian states have tightened their grip, deploying legal frameworks and digital surveillance to suppress dissent. Protest movements in Iran (after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022) and Cuba (in 2021) were both crushed through mass arrests, executions, and intimidation.
Albright warned that the United States’ retreat from its traditional support for democratic causes would embolden autocrats. That prediction has come true. Since the second Trump administration, Washington has scaled back funding for democracy-promotion programs, shuttered civil society initiatives, and pulled back from diplomatic pressure on repressive regimes. This has weakened global democratic networks and, according to Albright’s earlier warnings, diminished America’s moral and political influence. Meanwhile, China and Russia have offered alternative models, but both face skepticism—Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has discredited strongman rule, while China’s economic slowdown and increasingly strict controls have tarnished its image as a development partner.
Despite these setbacks, surveys consistently show that public support for democracy remains strong. Across continents, citizens continue to express a preference for accountable government, fair elections, independent courts, and term limits—even when their own institutions are failing. Civic resistance movements have persisted in unlikely places: in Georgia, crowds have challenged flawed elections and restrictive NGO laws; in Israel, mass demonstrations in 2023 defended judicial independence; in Myanmar, activists continue to resist military rule at great personal risk. Tunisia is no exception—its street protests and hunger strikes testify to the enduring appeal of democratic ideals, even as institutions crumble.
Yet, as Albright emphasized, democracy requires more than public sentiment. It needs strong institutions—independent courts, legislatures, media organizations, and election commissions—that can enforce accountability and withstand pressure. The erosion of these institutions has made it easier for authoritarian leaders to consolidate power. According to Freedom House, nearly 60 countries experienced democratic decline in 2024 alone, with opposition parties dissolved, term limits scrapped, and civil society organizations muzzled by law.
Other countries are not immune to these trends. In Pakistan, for example, the recent passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment has sparked fierce criticism from the United Kashmir People's National Party (UKPNP). Spokesperson Sardar Nasir Aziz Khan argued that the amendment "further entrenches the military establishment's dominance and undermines the democratic aspirations of the people, particularly those in regions like PoGB and PoJK." The amendment grants lifetime immunity to the President and the Field Marshal, removes checks on power, and allows the Field Marshal to remain in uniform for life with full authority and privileges. Khan warned that this is paving the way for one-man rule and further weakening already fragile judicial institutions, as a new constitutional court would operate parallel to the Supreme Court. "Pakistan was never a real democratic country," Khan asserted, claiming that the nation’s political system was shaped by Cold War powers for their own strategic interests.
In both Tunisia and Pakistan, the script is familiar: the centralization of power, the marginalization of opposition, and the gradual dismantling of the checks and balances that sustain democracy. The international community faces a daunting challenge—how to support those fighting for democratic rights without fueling further repression or lending legitimacy to authoritarian regimes. The fate of Tunisia’s political prisoners, Pakistan’s embattled judiciary, and countless other activists worldwide hangs in the balance.
While the future of democracy may look uncertain, the persistence of civic resistance and the deep-rooted desire for dignity and accountability remain powerful forces. The coming months will test whether global leaders and institutions can rise to the challenge—and whether the world’s fading democracies can find a way back from the brink.
