| The aftermath of the large scale uprisings in the Arab world known as the Arab Spring has brought about it many great shifts in the Middle East. The regime of Hosni Mubarak fell in Egypt only to be supplanted by Islamists, who were also eventually usurped from power by a military led coup. In Tunisia, the transition to democracy following the ousting of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has been touted as a glowing success amidst an unstable and chaotic region. This paper provides evidence through a comparative institutional analysis that a primary factor in the different outcomes is the presence of a competitive political environment. This was created by a willingness to allow prior regime members into the political system, to negotiate with oppositional parties over the role of religion and government, and party strength. Using four political parties from each country, it is shown that the parties in Tunisia exhibit all of or many of these qualities but those in Egypt often lack these qualities. The findings of the paper reinforce a lot of the literature that surrounds the current understanding of democratic performance and democratization but does challenge several smaller points, such as the emphasis on elections. Finally, this paper provides unique contextual details in the relationship between religion and democracy and democracy in North Africa that provide a more conclusive understanding to the themes at hand. |
