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The Tunisian Revolution,[8] also known as the Jasmine
Revolution,[9] was an intensive campaign of civil resistance,
including a series of street demonstrationstaking place in Tunisia.
The events began on 18 December 2010 and led to the ousting of
longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011
eventually, leading to a thorough democratization of the country
and to free and democratic elections which saw the victory of a
coalition of the Islamist Ennahda Movement with the centre-left
Congress for the Republic and the left-leaning Ettakatol asjunior
partners.The demonstrations were precipitated by high unemployment,
food inflation, corruption,[10] a lack of freedom of speech and
other political freedoms[11] and poorliving conditions. The
protests constituted the most dramatic wave of social and political
unrest in Tunisia in three decades[12][13] and have resulted in
scores of deaths and injuries, most of which were the result of
action by police andsecurity forces against demonstrators. The
protests were sparked by the self-immolation of Mohamed Bouazizi on
17 December 2010[14][15][16] and led to the ousting of President
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali 28 days later on 14 January 2011, whenhe
officially resigned after fleeing to Saudi Arabia, ending 23 years
in power.[17][18] Labour unions were said to be an integral part of
the protests.[19] Theprotests inspired similar actions throughout
the Arab world.Following Ben Ali's departure, a state of emergency
was declared. The Constitutional Court affirmed Fouad Mebazaa as
acting president under Article 57 of the Constitution. A caretaker
coalition government was also created, including membersof Ben
Ali's party, the Constitutional Democratic Rally (RCD), in key
ministries, while including other opposition figures in other
ministries, with elections
to take place within 60 days. However, five newly appointed
non-RCD ministers resigned[20][21] almost immediately, and daily
street protests in Tunis and othertowns around Tunisia continued,
demanding that the new government have no RCD members and that the
RCD itself be disbanded.[21][22][23] On 27 January Prime Minister
Mohamed Ghannouchi reshuffled the government, removing all former
RCD members other than himself. On 6 February the new interior
minister suspended all party activities of the RCD, citing security
reasons.[24] The party was dissolved,as protesters had demanded, on
9 March 2011.[25]Following further public protests, Ghannouchi
himself resigned on 27 February, and Beji Caid el Sebsi became
Prime Minister; two other members of the Interim Government
resigned on the following day. On 3 March 2011, the president
announcedthe elections for the Constituent Assembly, which were
held on 23 October 2011with the Islamist Ennahda Party winning the
plurality of seats.
