Open letter to Biden administration to suspend military assistance to Tunisia

At a time when democracy is under attack all across the world, American politicians should be concerned about the assault on Tunisia’s democratic institutions. The Biden administration should do a lot more to send a message to President Saied that international recognition and help would be conditional on democratic conduct.

The United States and its allies have ample leverage to put pressure on the Saied government to restore democratic order in Tunisia, including calling for the immediate re-opening of parliament, the restoration of constitutional order, and the establishment of a constitutional court in accordance with the Tunisian constitution.

The Arab Spring began in Tunisia on December 17, 2010, when street seller Mohammed Bouazizi self-immolated to protest an oppressive rule. Tunisians have achieved hard-won accomplishments in establishing a long-desired democracy during the coming decade, even while other post-Arab Spring governments reverted to autocratic control or plummeted into civil conflict. However, Tunisia’s delicate democratic experiment is being rapidly reversed as a result of its autocratic president Kais Saied’s blatant power grab since July 25, 2021. Thousands of Tunisians came to the streets last month to oppose President Saied’s power grab.

We continue to support the Tunisian people in their pursuit of better democratic results, and we hope that US aid will continue to flow to promote Tunisia’s return to democracy. Tunisia’s democratic restoration will be a litmus test for the entire Middle East and North Africa region, as Tunisia had the potential to become a model for inclusive democratic governance by bringing together a diverse range of political parties, including Islamic parties like Ennahda, under a constitution.

Senior Biden administration officials have visited Tunis on many occasions to meet with President Saied, and have constantly urged for a return to constitutional order and the rule of law. These brief trips, however, appear to have had little to no impact on President Saied. President Saied’s failure to respond to local and international calls for action has been extremely alarming.

We urge the Biden administration to do the following:

• Withhold US military support until Tunisia is on the path to democracy.
• Collaborate with friends to stop all non-essential aid, including the approximately $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation agreement, which requires Tunisia to satisfy democratic criteria, until this identical requirement is met.
• Avoid any high-level talks with Saied’s regime save to advocate for the restoration of democratic order.
• Examine if President Saied’s employment of military prosecutors and tribunals, as well as his use of security forces in general, violates the Arms Export Control Act or the Foreign Assistance Act, including the Leahy Law.

Tunisia’s current predicament risks devolving into wider civil unrest and instability. We appreciate the Administration’s efforts to promote the restoration of democratic values in Tunisia; nonetheless, the lack of progress in recent months necessitates the suspension of US military aid until Tunisia is on a road toward democracy.

The moment for the United States government to intervene in Tunisia is now. President Saied’s takeover of power is nothing short of a coup. The Biden Administration should immediately cease US military support to Tunisia until it returns to the road of democracy.

At a time when authoritarian governments are spreading devastation throughout the world, the United States cannot sit back and watch as a would-be dictator strives to dismantle Tunisia’s democracy and limit its people’s liberties. We encourage the Biden administration to apply serious pressure on President Saied and follow up to its claims about defending democracy across the world.

Kais Saied has been dismantling constitutional and democratic institutions for the past nine months, defying international appeals for a return to democratic principles. It is past time for the Administration and Congressional leaders to deliver a clear message to Saied that he will no longer get US backing if he continues down this disastrous road.