Can North Africa Finally Embark on Its Long-Awaited Journey Towards Democracy?

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II. Despite the setbacks, the quest for democracy lives on

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The indisputable rise of authoritarianism and religious extremism prompted some to think that the region would be better off had the Arab Spring never occurred. Five years after the uprisings, not a single country has achieved a stable, durable democracy. However, the Arab world is not doomed, as the revolutions have ignited an enduring spark of hope within peoples. Before their overthrow, dictators could deplete their countries’ resources, leaving their population in the throes of poverty and malnutrition. Many problems in the area stem from the deposed leaders’ firm hold on the country, which resulted in major disparities in development. Egypt’s state was comparable with South Korea when the monarchy was overthrown in the 1950s. After 60 years of Egyptian military rule, the two countries currently inhabit in different worlds.

Critics of the Arab Spring have often deplored the rise of political Islam across the region. Morocco’s PJD, Tunisia’s Ennahda and Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood represented the new wave of Islamist parties which assumed power in North Africa. Mohammed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s first democratically elected president in its 60-year history, was deposed by the Armed Forces at the apparent behest of millions of Egyptians in the street. Yet, during his short stint as President, he did his best to initiate Egypt’s peaceful democratic transition by favouring a constitution which protected both civil rights and Islamic law. The common view that Islamists are no more capable of reform and democracy than the strongmen is obviously misconceived; they can learn the habit of democracy too. In Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, despite objections about his unrivalled role in Turkish politics, has implemented a secular democracy and spearheaded successful economic reforms. Like Erdogan’s AKP, Islamists can learn the tolerance and pragmatism needed for running a country, but might not always be given the chance to do so. Regrettably, Morsi’s steadfast overthrow at the hands of the Army has contributed in perpetuating Egypt’s longstanding tradition of military rule, with General el-Sisi assuming power.

By nature, revolutions tend to be messy: history teaches us so. The peoples have just emerged from decades of authoritarianism and tyranny. Thus, a lengthy transition is needed to plant the seeds of democracy. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the transition from communism proved difficult: war was looming in Eastern Europe, as bloody revolutions erupted in the region against dictators who firmly clung to power. Indeed, a period of turmoil and unrest is characteristic to most uprisings, and the people must find the resources to recover and rebuild their country.[pic 4][pic 5]

To conclude, the quest for democracy in North Africa is far from complete. The general inability to erect new democratic regimes in Arab countries prompted doubts about the positive effects of the Arab Spring. Some argue that the region is not ready to change, claiming that people power will decay into anarchy or provoke the resurgence of authoritarianism. However, the real revolutions have not been so much in the street as they have been in the minds. The internet, social media and the thirst for education have overrun the decaying dictatorships of old. The long path towards democracy in North Africa was always bound to be steep and arduous, as achieving concrete change was most likely to prompt turmoil and disaster. But hope lives on.

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