Od demokracji do autorytaryzmu populistycznego

FROM DEMOCRACY TO POPULIST AUTHORITARIANISM: THE TUNISIAN CASE UNDER KAÏS SAÏEDTunisia is one of the few Arab countries that underwent a genuine democratic transition following the Arab Spring. While other states experienced authoritarian backlash or conflict, Tunisia initially followed a path of democratization, marked by the adoption of a new constitution in 2014 and democratic elections in 2014 and 2019. However, the lack of socio-economic reforms and unmet expectations led to growing public discontent. A turning point occurred in July 2021, when President Kaïs Saïed suspended parliament and assumed executive powers, initiating a process of power centralization. His actions have been viewed as a halt to democratization and the beginning of re-autocratization. This article analyzes Saïed’s rise and consolidation of power, the socio-political conditions that enabled it, and his style of governance through Pierre Rosanvallon’s typology of populist rule. The article argues that Saïed’s political success stems from the crisis of representative democracy, social frustration, and the strategic use of populist and conspiratorial rhetoric.