Features Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia : Ennahda and the role of religion

A major topic of debate earlier this month, article 6, has once again resurfaced in Tunisia National Constituent Assembly. The article, which addresses the role of religion in Tunisia, is prone to be changed by the Islamist party Ennahda. 120 members of parliament have already signed a petition in favor of an amendment weeks after […]

Features Opinions

Burqa, Hijab, Niqab or ‘Nothing’? – MENA’s Attitudes to Female Dress Code

The Pew Research Centre has recently compiled the results of its research on the opinions of people in different countries across the MENA region on the way women dress. Respondents from seven MENA countries – Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia – were asked which of the six styles of Muslim women’s […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia marks 3rd year anniverary with violence

The 14th of January marked the third year anniversary of the Tunisian revolution which went to sweep the North Africa and the Middle East. There was little to celebrate about on the day due to violence which marred the country. The constitution also missed its deadline once more as voting continues in the Assembly. Tunisians […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Waking Up to Public Anger: Tunisia Suspending New Taxes

After meeting a number of ministers and representatives of UNICA, Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh announced during a press conference earlier in January that all new taxes and fees imposed on vehicles by the 2014 budget would be suspended until further notice. Prime Minister added that the government opted for suspending of several fees on […]

Business Features Finance

Tunisia : Government seeks IMF loan as strikes increase

Tunisian authorities are under pressure to reduce the hardship on the population as public protests continue to increase. The government said it is trying to convince the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for half a billion dollar loan in order to take the necessary actions. The looming elections could slow IMF’s decision. Finance Minister Ilyas Fakhfakh […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Gender Equality Enshrined in Tunisia’s Draft Constitution

Tunisia’s constitutional assembly voted earlier this week to enshrine gender equality in its draft constitution, upholding the country’s status as having one of the Arab world’s most progressive laws on women’s right. The text enshrining the equality between men and women was approved by a large majority of 159 lawmakers out of the 169 who […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia: MP’s receive death threats as votes disappoints Islamist

The ongoing voting of the constitutional articles is surrounded with great enthusiasm and debates. The different political parties are blaming each other for the approval or rejection of certain articles. Voting began at the end of last week. Death threats have already been sent to a couple of members in parliament thereby delaying the voting […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Extremism and Year 2013: A Game-Changer for Tunisian Youth?

From the perspective of Tunisian youth, year 2013 was a game-changer. According to Issam Khemakhem, the president of the Tunisian-Euro-Mediterranean Association of Youth (ATEMJ), the need to combat extremism, as experienced by Tunisia in 2013, due to terrorist attacks, is reinforced especially when it comes to dealing with ideological, religious, or social threats. ATEMJ has […]

Features Headlines Tunisia

Tunisia : Constitutional on Friday, final draft unavailable

Tunisia’s parliament is expected to vote on the drafted constitution on Friday but the text is undergoing amendments in the last moments and parliamentarians are yet to lay their hands on the final draft. The National Constituent Assembly begun the amendments after intense last-minute negotiations led to the revision of certain articles and probably some […]