I.  Introduction

Since the 2011 Arab Spring, Tunisia has navigated a decade of political transition. After President Ben Ali’s removal in 2011, the nation has been working to replace centralized authoritarianism with democratic institutions. Yet, despite these landmark documents, implementation has stalled. Local governments lack the autonomy and financial resources to deliver services effectively, and upward mobility remains limited. 

Despite more than $335 million in U.S. investment over the past decade, Tunisians continue to report deep distrust in their local government, reflecting a broader erosion of democratic legitimacy across the country. Given Tunisia’s strategic position in the MENA region, a U.S. withdrawal now would risk unraveling hard-won democratic gains and diminishing American credibility. To stabilize Tunisia’s fragile democracy and advance long-term U.S. interests, the United States should reinvest in decentralization efforts. Without sustained support, Tunisia risks falling under the influence of China or Russia. Targeted aid to strengthen local governance presents a cost-effective strategy to rebuild civic trust and institutional resilience.

II. Background and Context

Tunisia’s decentralization efforts, once a centerpiece of post-revolution reform, have stalled. While the 2014 Constitution legally mandated municipal autonomy, fiscal power remains centralized. The 2023 dissolution of all elected municipal councils under President Kais Saïed has deepened public frustration and reduced government transparency. U.S. support, once crucial to bridging legal mandates with local implementation, has largely dissipated. As civic space shrinks and repression increases, Tunisia faces growing instability and a decline in international confidence. This creates a critical window for strategic investment.

Policy Recommendation 1. Reinstate and expand grassroots programs like NASREEJ and TADAEEM

Before the termination of key U.S. foreign aid programs, Tunisia benefited from landmark initiatives that advanced decentralization, civic resilience, and democratic governance—critical tools in a region facing rising authoritarianism. Among the most impactful was the Tunisia Accountability, Decentralization, and Effective Municipalities (TADAEEM) program, a four-year initiative (2017–2021) that supported service delivery improvement plans, strengthened municipal governance, and empowered local civil society organizations to collaborate with municipal councils in a bottom-up approach to reform.

More recently, the USAID NASSEEJ project focused on expanding civic dialogue and economic inclusion for women and youth. With just $25 million over five years, which is less than 1% of total U.S. foreign aid, NASREEJ still made a real impact by boosting local participation and strengthening resilience in underserved communities.

These programs were not only cost-effective but strategically significant. In regions where the central government has struggled to deliver services or build trust, initiatives like TADAEEM and NASREEJ filled critical gaps, strengthened local governance, and offered visible evidence of democratic responsiveness. Reviving and expanding such grassroots efforts would directly support U.S. foreign policy goals by stabilizing fragile governance environments and countering extremism through civic inclusion.

Foreign aid of this kind strengthens diplomatic ties and supports global security by expanding access to basic services, reinforcing institutional legitimacy, and affirming U.S. credibility as a long-term partner. In fragile states like Tunisia, where democratic transitions remain incomplete and increasingly contested, these programs represent steady commitments to resilience, stability, and peace.

Localized, community-driven initiatives such as TADAEEM and NASREEJ show that targeted U.S. engagement can foster institutional accountability, promote equitable development, and rebuild trust between citizens and their governments. To uphold democratic values and maintain regional stability, the United States should sustain this model of engagement, further strengthening long-term partnerships and credibility in a  vital region.

Policy Recommendation 2. Link U.S. Aid to Governance Benchmarks in Interior Regions

Tunisia’s 2014 Constitution emphasized decentralizing the national government, but these reforms were reversed when President Kais Saïed dissolved all elected municipal councils in 2023. This move exacerbated the disconnect between citizens and the state, leaving many Tunisians disillusioned by promises that never materialized. While foreign aid cannot solve this crisis alone, concrete benchmarks can help address the gaps that the Tunisian state continues to neglect.

In recent years, transparency in Tunisia has deteriorated. Government openness has declined significantly, particularly following the dissolution of municipal councils and the barring of journalists from covering municipal and parliamentary sessions. Without visibility, transparency dies. Without transparency, trust erodes. And when trust breaks, unrest follows. At that point, a country becomes more controlled than governed.

Foreign aid, though not a cure-all, can serve as a lever. It can impose conditions and demand progress in the absence of domestic accountability. When institutions are dismantled and the press is silenced, aid becomes the last visible symbol that accountability is still possible.

Policy Recommendation 3. Use the U.S.–Tunisia Strategic Dialogue to prioritize civilian oversight

As Tunisia stands at a democratic crossroads, U.S. foreign aid policy must treat it not as a peripheral concern but as a test case for regional stability. Once hailed as the Arab Spring’s sole democratic success, Tunisia now teeters between authoritarian resurgence and renewed civic engagement. How the U.S. responds will send a clear signal to both allies and adversaries about its long-term vision for democracy and security in North Africa.

While U.S. security assistance has improved Tunisia’s tactical capacity, it must also reinforce human rights safeguards and rebuild trust between the government and its people. Without that balance, security gains will be short-lived. 

The risks are not theoretical. Human Rights Watch documented violent police crackdowns in Siliana in both 2012 and 2021, where security forces used rubber bullets and birdshot at close range against demonstrators—even as they dispersed. 

This cycle of unrest stems from structural distrust, an issue military assistance alone cannot fix. Currently, the U.S. allocates $45 million annually in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to Tunisia but only $7 million to support civil society. This imbalance weakens the very institutions that anchor long-term peace: citizen oversight, local dialogue, and democratic resilience.

To stabilize Tunisia and preserve the U.S. investment in regional security, foreign aid must be recalibrated. Targeted support for civilian oversight, community policing programs, and institutional accountability would help shift Tunisia away from coercive governance and toward a more stable, rights-based order. The credibility of U.S. foreign policy in the region depends on demonstrating that democracy and security are not competing goals, but mutually reinforcing priorities.

VI. Conclusion 

Backing Tunisia’s path to democracy is less about aid and more about securing a  long-term influence in the region. When local governments collapse, it creates space for instability, extremism, and outside influence.  U.S. engagement can help defend Tunisia’s future and America’s strategic credibility in the region.