tunisia aps

8/13/2019 Tunisia APS

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Arab Political Systems: Baseline Information and Reforms – Tunisiawww.carnegieendowment.org/arabpoliticalsystemswww.fride.org/eng/Publications/Publication.aspx?Item=787

TUNISIA

UPDATES AND FORTHCOMING EVENTS ......................................................................................3

UPDATES AND FORTHCOMING EVENTS ......................................................................................3

STATE INSTITUTIONS/ SEPARATION OF POWERS.....................................................................4

STATE INSTITUTIONS/ SEPARATION OF POWERS.....................................................................4

!"#TI$ %&'(") ...............................................................................................................................*+,I-+'TI$ %&'(").............................................................................................................................#0I"I'&1...............................................................................................................................................2+3"'+ ,3$&(4(T ...........................................................................................................................8

RIGHTS .....................................................................................................................................................9

RIGHTS .....................................................................................................................................................9

P&-3('+ +I%&TI-...............................................................................................................................5+,I-+'TI3( &,#+'TI(, T) !&"I- 36 &I,)T-..........................................................................& "(T ,3$&(4(T I (ITI'TI$- '66"TI(, & I,)T-.....................................................................9

POLITICAL FORCES............................................................................................................................13

POLITICAL FORCES............................................................................................................................13

P3+ITI"'+ P'&TI- ...............................................................................................................................:"I$I+ -3"IT1.......................................................................................................................................*

ELECTION RESULTS...........................................................................................................................16

ELECTION RESULTS...........................................................................................................................16

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace;1779 Massachusetts Ave. NWWashington .C. !""#$%!1"#www.carnegieendowment.org

&undaci'n (ara las )elaciones Internacionales * eli+logo E,terior-C &eli(e I/- 9 % 10 dcha. !"12 Madrid.www.fride.org

At A Glance

Population; uly 92 est. ;7;*

,0P Per "apita 8;2

)uman 0eelopment Index &an@; #(0P; 92 87


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Arab Political Systems: Baseline Information and Reforms – Tunisia

Updates and Forthcoming Events

• ' Tunisian court sentenced comedian )edia 3uld %aballaA on 6ebruary *; 98 to

one year in prison and a fine of dinars 8 for possession ofnarcotics. 't tAe Aearing; %aballaA denied any @nowledge of tAe drugs and allegedtAat tAere was a police conspiracy against Aim in connection witA Ais controersial

political satire. %aballaA Aad been performing a s@it in wAicA Ae imitated President%en 'li. "lic@ Aere for more information.

• Tunisian court upAeld Bournalist -alim %ou@AdeirCs prison sentence in a anuary

8; 98 Aearing. %ou@Adeir was conicted on 0ecember * of Dinsulting beAaiortowards an official in tAe exercise of Ais duty;E Diolating decencyE and Drefusingto produce identity papers;E and sentenced to one year in prison. %ou@Adeir; acorrespondent of tAe +ondonFbased newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi and alF'rabiyasatellite teleision; was arrested on tAe outs@irts of -fax on (oember 92 after an

argument witA a police officer. "lic@ Aere for more information.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peacewww.carnegieendowment.org

&undaci'n (ara las )elaciones Internacionales * eli+logo E,terior www.fride.org

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http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/90655/http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/90655/http://www.alquds.co.uk/http://www.alquds.co.uk/http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25123http://www.carnegieendowment.org/http://www.fride.org/http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/90655/http://www.alquds.co.uk/http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25123http://www.carnegieendowment.org/http://www.fride.org/


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State Institutions/ Separation of Powers

Eecutive !ranch

• Tunisia is a republic witA a presidential system.

• TunisiaCs "onstitution; approed on une ; 55 is modeled on 6ranceCs AigAly

centraliGed presidential system


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• "lic@ '!! for a list of constitutional articles on tAe presidential

elections.

• TAe constitution concentrates executie autAority in tAe presidency.

• TAe p#(! (#%#"&!H

F Is appointed by tAe president.F )as limited formal powers.F &ecommends to tAe president tAe dismissal of a minister.F 4ay temporarily assume tAe powers of tAe president for a period of at least *

days and at most 2 days in case tAe presidency becomes acant on account ofdeatA; resignation; or incapacity. TAese powers; Aoweer; exclude tAe power todismiss tAe goernment; dissole tAe parliament; call a referendum; or adoptexceptional measures. Presidential elections in tAese cases must be organiGedwitAin 2 days and tAe interim president may not be a candidate.

• 4oAammad ,AannoucAi Aas been Prime 4inister since (oember

555.

• TAe C)*%+#, )- M#%#"&!"H

F Is appointed and dismissed by tAe president.F Is cAarged witA Dputting into effect tAe general policy of tAe (ation; in

conformity witA tAe orientations and options defined by tAe President of tAe&epublic.E

• TAe current "ouncil was appointed by President %en 'li on 'ugust 7;

9. "lic@ Aere for details.

"egislative !ranch

• ' 99 constitutional amendment created a bicameral legislature; wAicA was not

inaugurated until 'ugust 9.

• TAe 85Fmember C'(! )- D!p*!"


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F "an initiate a motion of censure against tAe goernment signed by at least AalftAe members of tAe "Aamber. TAe motion is adopted by twoFtAirds of tAe

parliament.F "an reLuire members of tAe cabinet to appear for Luestioning.

• TAe C'(! )- A$#")"


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F ' fourFtiered AierarcAy pertainsH

F D#"&#+& C)*&"


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"ocal Government

• TAe local goernment consists ofH

F 9* goernoratesF 97 municipal goernments

• TAe president appoints a goernor to eacA of TunisiaCs 9* goernorates.

• 4unicipalities Aae elected mayors and municipal councils tAat botA sere in a

consultatie role only.

• TAere are no municipal councils in rural areas. TAus; tAere are no elected localgoernment institutions in rural areas.



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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorates_of_Tunisiahttp://www.carnegieendowment.org/http://www.fride.org/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governorates_of_Tunisiahttp://www.carnegieendowment.org/http://www.fride.org/


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%ights

Personal li!erties

• TAe constitution nominally guarantees a broad array of rigAts and liberties. In practice tAese rigAts are routinely iolated.

• 'rticle 7 of tAe "onstitution defines a large number of wideFranging circumstances

under wAicA tAe exercise of personal rigAts may be limited. TAese include DtAe protection of otAers; tAe respect for public order; national defense; tAe deelopmentof tAe economy; and social progress.E

• TAe constitution guarantees freedom of opinion and expression. TAe goernment

does not tolerate public criticism and uses intimidation; criminal inestigations; tAe

court system; arbitrary arrests; and trael controls


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"egislation regulating the eercise of rights

• P),#+, P& L"

F Political parties are goerned by tAe Political Parties +aw of 588


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F TAe "onstitution and tAe +abor "ode proide wor@ers tAe rigAt to organiGe andform unions. ' union may be dissoled only by court order. #nions; includingtAose representing ciil serants; Aae tAe rigAt to stri@e. )oweer; unionsintending to stri@e must gie days adance notice to tAe ,eneral #nion ofTunisian Mor@ers; tAe countryCs only labor federation; and tAe federation must

grant approal.

• M!$# L"

F 'rticle 8 of tAe "onstitution guarantees freedom of tAe press; opinion;expression; and publication. )oweer; TunisiaCs press freedoms are among tAemost restricted in tAe 'rab world. TAe goernment intimidates Bournalists;editors; and publisAers into practicing selfFcensorsAip. -ecurity forces closelymonitor press actiity.

F TAe Tunisian press is regulated under Press "ode of 57. TAere are no legalrestrictions on tAe topics wAicA tAe media may address.

F TAe goernment controls domestic broadcasting and owns or controls six of tAeeigAt mainstream daily newspapers. TAe maBority of news originates from tAeTunis 'friLue Presse; a stateFowned enterprise tAat allegedly censors storiescritical of tAe goernment. TAe goernment manipulates newsprint subsidiesand otAer financial incenties to control tAe priate press.

F Tunisian Bournalists critical of tAe regime continue to be Aarassed; tAreatened;imprisoned; and censored.

F Tunisian autAorities banned tAe #nion of Tunisian ournalists from Aolding itsfirst conference on -eptember 7; 9. TAe conference was to Aost Aundreds ofindependent Tunisian Bournalists as well as representaties of international

BournalistsJ associations. "lic@ Aere to read 'mnesty InternationalJscommentary.

F In 4ay 9; President %en 'li announced new measures; tAe most significantof wAicA was tAe abolition of tAe D+egal 0epositE procedure wAicA obligeseditors of newspapers to delier to tAe autAorities a copy of eery publication in

return for a Ddeposit receiptE tAat allows its distribution.

F 'ccording to tAe annual Morldwide Press 6reedom Index by &eporters witAout%orders; Tunisia ran@s * of 25 countries. TAe index runs from


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F 'ltAougA family and inAeritance law is codified based on tAe (apoleonic code;ciil law Budges sometimes apply -Aaria law in family cases


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Political Forces

Political parties

• TAere are currently nine legal political partiesH

• TAe &uling PartyH TAe 0emocratic "onstitutional &ally


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• Parties not represented in tAe "Aamber of 0eputiesH

F 0emocratic Progressie Party


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F 3nly one maBor Auman rigAts organiGation Aas official recognition


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- In -eptember 9; tAe goernment closed tAe office of tAe'ssociation of Tunisian udges and banned tAe congress of tAe #nion ofTunisian ournalists. "lic@ Aere for more details.

Election %esults

• #niersal suffrage; 9 years and older.

• &esults of p!"#$!%, !,!+)%" on 3ctober 9*; 9*H

F ine alF'bidine %en 'liH 5*.*5


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&onstitutional %evision

• TAe constitution was first adopted in 55.

• TAe "onstitution was amended on uly 9 588. -ignificant amendments

includedH

- Permitting tAe president to sere for tAree fieFyear terms.

- )olding legislatie elections eery years.

- ,iing presidential bills priority before tAe "Aamber of 0eputies.

- 'llowing tAe president to goern by decree wAen tAe "Aamber of 0eputies isnot in session


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&orruption

• 3n 4arcA 7; 9* tAe 4inister of Interior announced tAe creation of tAe )igAer

Institute of -ecurity 6orces and "ustoms; an oersigAt body for law enforcementofficers in tAe 4inistries of Interior and "ustoms. TAe organiGationCs statedmission was to reinforce Auman rigAts and improe law enforcement; as well asreduce corruption. TAere were no public reports of tAe organiGationCs subseLuentactiities.

• Transparency International "orruption Perception Index 92 ran@s Tunisia 2st

out of 8 countries.



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http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2007http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2007http://www.carnegieendowment.org/http://www.fride.org/http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2007http://www.carnegieendowment.org/http://www.fride.org/


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%atification of International &onventions

• International "oenant on "iil and Political &igAts

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