The Tunisian ‘Exception’ and the Role of the EU: Perspectives from Tunisia - European Foreign Affairs Review View The Tunisian ‘Exception’ and the Role of the EU: Perspectives from Tunisia by Asma Nouira - European Foreign Affairs Review The Tunisian ‘Exception’ and the Role of the EU: Perspectives from Tunisia Asma Nouira 25 Special

The Tunisian transition has been and is mostly led to a substantial amount by civil society actors. As such, Tunisia constitutes a particular case for evaluating the role of the EU which presents itself as a supporter of civil society. How, indeed, are its presence and practices perceived by those actors? Based on more than thirty interviews, the authors find that Tunisian stakeholders see an EU presence in the transition process, even though it is not perceived as decisive to date. Rather, some of the EU practices raise questions about its presence, specifically when they are more responsive to the European security paradigm while being unresponsive to Tunisian socio-economic needs.

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