🇹🇳 Tunisia

Tunisia is a North African country of 12 million with a GDP of about $46 billion that sparked the Arab Spring in 2010-11 — the self-immolation of street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi triggered protests that toppled dictator Ben Ali and inspired uprisings across the region. Tunisia was the only Arab Spring country to achieve a democratic transition, but that democracy has been rolled back since President Kais Saied's power grab in 2021. The country has a well-educated population, a Mediterranean coastline popular with European tourists, and a strategic location between Europe and Africa. Carthage, the ancient rival of Rome, was located in modern-day Tunisia.

Phosphates, textiles, olive oil (Tunisia is the world's second-largest exporter), automotive parts, and tourism are the main sectors. France, Italy, and Germany are the top trade partners. The economy has been struggling — GDP growth has been around 1-2%, unemployment exceeds 15%, and the dinar has weakened. An IMF deal has been stalled due to the government's reluctance to implement subsidy reforms. The informal economy is estimated at 30-40% of GDP.

Tunisia's El Jem amphitheater is the third-largest Roman amphitheater in the world and better preserved than the Colosseum in many respects. The Star Wars planet Tatooine was named after the Tunisian town of Tataouine, and several filming locations are still visitable. Tunisia was the first Arab and African country to abolish slavery (1846) and the first to grant women equal rights in marriage and divorce (1956).

Tunisia's democratic backsliding is a tragedy — it was the Arab Spring's only success story. The economic stagnation and political regression feed each other. Without reform, the brain drain to Europe will accelerate.