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Is Spring Over in Tunis?

The recent assassination was a rare interruption in Tunisia's peaceful revolution, writes Clovis Maksoud, who fears a dangerous polarization is emerging between secularists and Islamists there.
A couple mourns next to a Tunisian flag during the funeral procession for the late secular opposition leader Chokri Belaid in the Jebel Jelloud district in Tunis February 8, 2013. Tens of thousands of mourners chanted anti-Islamist slogans on Friday at the Tunis funeral of Belaid, whose assassination has plunged Tunisia deeper into political crisis. REUTERS/ Anis Mili (TUNISIA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS OBITUARY) - RTR3DHTW

Tunis — which triggered the Arab Spring two years ago — today is confronting the challenge of a renewed polarization. After it successfully formed a united transitional government with the leadership of the Ennahda Movement, it is now facing the repercussions of the assassination of opposition leader Chokri Belaid.

The assassination led to the resignation of all the secular and leftist opposition members from the assembly writing the country’s constitution. Islamist Ennahda Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali has called for replacing his cabinet with one of technocrats, a plan apparently rejected by both the opposition and his own party. The demonstrations and the anger that has dominated the scene today, and which possibly will continue, indicate that the fallout from the assassination threatens the coalition between the Islamists and the secularist parties. This might auger a period of polarization totally uncharacteristic of Tunisia’s past. 

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