Rights groups say the only budding democracy in Tunisia that emerged from the 2011 Arab revolutions is at risk of returning to autocracy under President Kais Saied, who's consolidating power and arresting opponents.
Central Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, where, over a decade ago, a fruit vendor set himself on fire and set off a wave of Arab uprisings.SIDI BOUZID, TUNISIA — It was in the center of this city in central Tunisia that a wave of Arab uprisings was set off with one desperate act.
Twelve years later, rights groups say the only budding democracy that emerged from the 2011 Arab revolutions is now at risk of returning to autocracy under Tunisia's President Kais Saied. He's been consolidating power and arresting political opponents. The parliamentary election appears to be one more step toward cementing that regression.
"We cannot talk about democracy anymore after what happened on July 25th," he said. He references the date the president dissolved the elected parliament last year and took the powers for himself.Dressed in a T-shirt and black blazer, Jday walks through the middle class neighborhood where he grew up on the outskirts of Sidi Bouzid. He points out his childhood home-turned-kindergarten across the street from an unfinished building with a wedding dress shop on the bottom floor.
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