The prospects for security sector reform in Tunisia

the long version

In the year since the revolution, Tunisia has achieved what no other Arab Spring country has managed: peaceful transition to democratic rule through national elections widely viewed to be free and fair. The legacy of the previous regime, however, remains. The author assesses the prospects for Security Sector Reform (SSR) in Tunisia and concludes that Tunisia's new government faces major challenges dismantling and reorienting the mandate and institutional culture of Tunisia's labyrinth of security institutions. Serious SSR will be critical for building trust in the new governments and its security institutions and essential if Tunisia's transition to democratic rule is to succeed in the long term.