Protests that began in Tunisia in December of 2010 spread the idea of revolution across the Arab world, triggering what is now called the Arab Spring. This ‘Jasmine Revolution’ in Tunisia may have caused great changes in many countries in the Middle East and in North Africa, but what were the results for the country in which it began? Below, you will find a timeline of important events in Tunisia from December 2010 to December 2011.
Dec. 17, 2010: Mohamed Bouazizi, a fruit vendor, sets himself on fire in Sidi Bouzid
Dec. 24, 2010: Protests break out in Sidi Bouzid and spread
Dec. 27, 2010: Protests spread to Tunis
Dec. 28, 2010: Ben Ali condemns protests
Jan. 13, 2011: Ben Ali pledges major reforms and declares that he will not run for reelection in 2014
Jan. 14, 2011: State of emergency declared, Ben Ali flees
See a gallery of Jasmine Revolution photos here.
Jan. 15, 2011: Speaker of Parliament, Foued Mebazaa sworn in as temporary president (his Prime Minisiter is Ghannouchi, a close ally of Ben Ali)
Jan, 17, 2011: Prime Minister Ghannouchi promises to announce a new coalition government and a new “unity” government is announced which includes several Ben Ali loyalists in key posts
Jan. 18, 2011: Tunisians take to the streets in protest, Ghannouchi and Mebazaa resign from the RCD, Marcef Manzouki returns to Tunisia
Jan. 20, 2011: The central committee of RCD is dissolved (minister of new government have resigned from the party)
Jan. 26, 2011: Clashes break out near government offices in Tunis’ old city
Jan. 27, 2011: Tunisia’s foreign minister, Kamel Morjane, announces his resignation leading to a reshuffling of cabinet to drop former members of Ben Ali’s government
Jan. 30, 2011: After 22 years of exile, Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of banned Islamist party Ennahdha, returns to Tunisia
Feb. 25, 2011: Protests against interim government led by Mohamed Ghannouchi (Prime Minister)
Feb. 27, 2011: Mohamed Ghannouchi resigns, Beji Caid-Essebsi takes his place
March 9, 2011: RCD is dissolved
April 29, 2011: Senior members of the RCD are banned from participating in the upcoming elections for the constituent assembly, a body tasked with rewriting Tunisia’s constitution and appointing a new government
May 9, 2011: Thirteen people are chosen to serve on the Tunisian Higher Election Authority (ISIE), an independent group overseeing the constituent assembly election
May 31, 2011: Four secular parties unite to form the Democratic Modernist Coalition (PDM)
June 20, 2011: Ben Ali and his wife are sentenced in absentia to 35 years in prison for theft and unlawful possession of cash and jewelry
July 11, 2011: Voter registration for the constituent assembly election begins
July 24, 2011: The elections for the constituent assembly were originally scheduled for this date but were rescheduled
July 30, 2011: The voter enrolment process is extended from August 2 until August 14 so that more voters can register
August 14, 2011: Voter registration ends. The Carter Center states that, according to the ISIE, 3,882,727 Tunisians have registered to vote.
Sept. 1, 2011: Registration begins for political parties and independent lists to place candidates in the October 23 constituent assembly election; Eighty-one parties, and hundreds of independents, end up registering
Sept. 12, 2011: The ISIE forbids political advertising after this date (the PDP and UPL continue advertising)
Sept. 15, 2011: Twelve Tunisian parties sign an agreement called “Declaration of the Transitional Process”
Oct. 1, 2011: Campaigning begins for the constituent assembly election, to be held on October 23
Oct. 20. 2011: Campaigning ends for the constituent assembly election; Overseas voting for Tunisians living abroad also begins
Oct. 23, 2011: About 4.4 million registered Tunisians head to the polls to begin voting in an historic election.
Dec. 12, 2011: Moncef Marzouki elected by the national constituent assembly as the new president; interim government presided by Hamadi Jebali (from Ennahdha) takes up duties
See a slideshow of election day photos here.
Sources:
- http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2011/10/2011109144814269125.html
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/blog/2011/jan/14/tunisia-wikileaks
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunisian_Constituent_Assembly_election,_2011
Posted by: Blakeley Brown
tunisiaweekly 
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