After the “Arab spring” : perspectives for democracy?

Abstract

The so called « Arab Spring » that started in Tunisia in January 2011 has been taking the form of a huge wave, with a spillover effect in the whole Arab world. True, the very different experiences of Arab countries have underlined how variegated the process has been and how uncertain the precise outcome will be in each case. It is too early to say whether the changes in all the Arab region will lead to the creation of democratic states, let alone what the regional and global impact of these events will be. At least, it will be a long and complex process. This paper attempts to analyze the current situation, summarizing how far we have come, what is at stake and what are the challenges faced by the civil actors who initiated the uprisings: it is assumed that democracy in the Middle East is dependent on a strong civil society as a precondition. Finally, as a result of the important changes at work, the Swiss engagement in the region will be briefly discussed.