On Thursday, the Project on Middle East Political Science held a discussion with Sultan al-Qassemi, a columnist based in the U.A.E., well-known for his tracking of the events of the Arab Spring via Twitter, to explore the powers and pitfalls of social media during revolution. Marc Lynch, Director of the Middle East Studies Program at the Elliott School of International Affairs and author of the blog "Abu Aardvark," introduced al-Qassemi. ...

In James Traub's latest article "Twilight in Manhattan, Dawn in Tripoli" he reflects on the evolution of American foreign policy in the Middle East from 9/11 onward. Traub states that the United States has learned many lessons since the initial days of invading Afghanistan and Iraq and he reminds his audience that "one thing we have learned is that no matter how bad things are, they can always get worse."With this ...

On Wednesday, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems held a discussion with Rafael Lopez-Pintor, an IFES elections expert, which was moderated by Michael Svetlik, IFES Vice President of Programs. Lopez-Pintor spent two months in Tunisia this summer as an electoral expert for IFES. For full event notes, continue reading. Or, click here for the PDF.   Lopez-Pintor began the discussion about the set-up of the electoral commission and how the electoral process is ...

The Carter Center released a statement that emphasized how Tunisia's voter registration process was conducted smoothly, but more importantly, "operational challenges remain for the High Independent Authority for the Elections (ISIE), particularly the allocation of voters to polling stations and a campaign to disseminate voter information to the public."  The Carter Center suggests that public outreach should be emphasized by the ISIE and other organizations aimed at assisting Tunisians in the ...

Protests restarted in Tunisia on Monday as several hundred lawyers demonstrated against "continuing corruption in the courts and too-lax verdicts against those in the regime of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali."  Police fired tear gas in an effort to disperse protesters as they threw stones and smashed storefronts. Samia Fitouri writes in the Guardian on the history of oppression faced by Tunisians until the Arab Spring.  Fitouri emphasizes that ...

About 3.7 million Tunisians registered to vote in the next election, which represents about 52 percent of potential voters in the country.  This number does not include the estimated 700,000 to 800,000 Tunisians that are of voting age abroad.  The independent elections commission is set to release official figures on Tuesday.  Registration had opened on July 11 and was set to close on August 2, but remained opened due to ...

Marina Ottaway writes that Tunisia and Egypt are facing major transitional issues as both countries set up interim governments to organize and manage elections. 'Popular pressure' stemming from continued protests could eventually force the government to give in to street rule if not managed properly. The question of how and when elections will take place has been a topic of concern for Ottaway and others, as both countries have faced setbacks ...

Kareem Fahim describes the "deep frustration" experienced by residents of Sidi Bouzid, as a microcosm of dissatisfaction with the progress of the political transition. He notes how most residents blame "the lack of progress here on the transitional government, which has moved slowly to address one of the revolution’s central complaints — youth unemployment — especially here in the towns of central Tunisia, where the uprising began." Similarly, Ellen Byrne discusses the growing ...

Libyan rebels reported that they took control of a "strategically important" town near Tunisia's border, Ghazaya after battling with Libyan Leader Muammar Gadhafi's security forces.  According to a rebel spokesman, Libyan rebels moved into Ghazaya through the western mountains with rockets and tanks in the morning.  Gadhafi's troops had been utilizing the town as a base to stop rebel supply routes from Tunisia.  Alternatively, General Abdel Fatah Younis, the chief of ...

The Moor Next Door writes on how the developing uprisings in the Middle East are "highly likely to increase openings for popular activism," specifically by sectarian and Islamist factions.  The writer also argues that Ramadan will provide opportunties for organizing large groups for protests as people will be gathering at mosques and community events in major cities.  In countries like Yemen and Syria, the writer argues that Islamist groups may become more confident during ...

Women have played a central role in the uprisings sweeping the Middle East and North Africa, and now, as some of these countries undergo transitions, women’s rights must be incorporated into broader demands for social, economic, and political reform. In the latest POMED policy brief, Isobel Coleman examines the women’s movements in Tunisia and Egypt in the context of the Arab Spring. A transition to an inclusive, authentic democracy will ...

Al-Jazeera reports that 23 allies of former Tunisian leader Zine el Abidine Ben Ali "have appeared before a court in the capital Tunis for trying to flee the country last January with illegally obtained foreign currency." On January 14th, 14 men and nine women were captured when trying to escape from Tunisia with a 'large sum of money', the same day Ben Ali and his wife fled to exile in ...

In an interview with Toni Johnson from the Council on Foreign Relations, Ebrahim Moosa, professor of religion and Islamic studies at Duke University speaks on the role of political Islam in new governments across the region, including Egypt and Tunisia.  Moosa argues that Islam will be a factor in the emerging governments, but "people will be cautious about allowing too much of a blurring between political and religious boundaries." In addition, Moosa ...

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Saturday that Turkey must act on concerns for increasing human rights violations and secular traditions.  Clinton said that the detainment of journalists and intellectuals was "inconsistent" with Turkey's economic and political progress.  She added that Turkey "should recommit itself to the course of modernization and embrace the democratic institutions of statehood." However, Clinton said that despite these concerns, Turkey should be a model for ...

This week, the International Republican Institute (IRI) released a public opinion poll on Tunisia and an analysis of the results.  Since former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali did not allow independent surveys, there is a lack of current information and a "high demand for current survey data to provide Tunisian civil society and government officials an important tool to understand and respond to citizen priorities." Similar to the results of a March IRI ...