| Summary/Abstract |
To this day, Tunisia remains the only country in the MENA region that has undergone a democratic transition following the popular uprisings of 2010–11. Yet the transition has proven difficult. The young democracy remains plagued by a number of challenges, some of which stem from the legacy of the Ben Ali era and others that have emerged during the transition. Against this backdrop, the country has been confronted with the resurgence of Salafi currents, as well as with the phenomenon of jihadist radicalization. Today, Tunisia is, per capita and in absolute numbers, one of the biggest exporters of jihadist foreign fighters in the world. Fatalities in Tunisia from jihadist violence have skyrocketed since the uprising, with attacks in 2015 on the Bardo Museum in Tunis and on a resort in Sousse having captured international attention. These trends not only pose a threat to the stability of the country, they also fuel and prolong conflicts in the wider region, ultimately also posing a threat to Europe and the wider West.
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