Durbin, Murphy, Coons, Welch, & Schigg Introduce Resolution Recognizing Tunisia's Leadership In The Arab Spring & Calling Out Troubling Democratic Backsliding
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) along with U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) today introduced a resolution recognizing Tunisia’s leadership in the Arab Spring and expressing support for upholding its democratic principles and norms. Under the country’s current President Kais Saied, Tunisia has seen a recent backslide of the democratic gains made in the years following the Arab Spring. This includes a notable increase in arrests of political opponents and critics of his Administration.
Specifically, the Senators’ resolution:
1. Recognizes Tunisia as the symbolic birthplace of the historic Arab Spring movement and the country’s notable democratic reforms that emerged during that period;
2. Commends the Tunisian people for their courage and democratic achievements made in the immediate years following the Arab Spring;
3. Expresses deep concern for more recent reversals of such democratic gains, including the erosion of judicial independence; political repression and arrests; and the undemocratic consolidation of power;
4. Urges the Government of Tunisia to release all political prisoners – including a United States citizen; to respect the rights of the people to free exercise of peaceful assembly, expression, and the press; to restore and respect the independence of electoral, judicial, and anti-corruption institutions;
5. Urges the Trump Administration to sanction those Tunisian officials primarily involved in repression of peaceful democratic activity.
“Tunisia emerged from the Arab Spring as one of the most hopeful and promising reformed democracies in the region. But since the summer of 2021, President Saied has capitalized on unrest and economic challenges to unilaterally consolidate his power—undermining and threatening Tunisia’s democratic institutions,” Durbin said. “Our resolution reminds the Tunisian people of their heroic achievement resulting from the Arab Spring and urges the government to respect their democratic aspirations.”
“The Tunisian people inspired the world with their brave uprising for democratic reforms during the Arab Spring,” said Coons. “In the years since, President Saied has eroded Tunisia’s democratic institutions and judicial independence, rolling back the people’s hard-won progress. As we see the dangers of similar actions in America, it is even more important to affirm our commitment to the fight for democracy in Tunisia and around the world.”
“Building a democracy is a long, arduous, and fragile undertaking. Tunisia, once the inspiration for the Arab Spring and a source of hope for millions around the world striving for democracy, is at risk of backsliding. The country’s democratic aspirations must be nurtured with robust civil dialogue and a genuine national political process,” said Welch. “With this resolution, we affirm our support for the Tunisian people as they work to restore their democratic institutions and reiterate our commitment protecting democracy around the world.”
Full text of the resolution is available here.
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