Tunis attack, a wake-up call for Tunisia’s political leaders

Author: Alessandra Bajec / Source: Al Jazeera

Tunis, Tunisia – On Monday afternoon, a suicide bomb blast struck Habib Bourguiba Avenue, one of the most iconic and heavily protected places in the heart of the Tunisian capital, Tunis.

A female attacker reportedly used a hand-made explosive device to target a police van, wounding at least nine people.

This was the first such incident to hit the country since 2015 when the much larger attacks at the Bardo Museum in Tunis and Sousse beach left at least 60 people dead.

Though much more limited in its scope and nature, Monday’s explosion shook Tunisians and served as a reminder that the country’s security threats are far from gone.

“It’s really regrettable,” said Messaoud Romdhani, president of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights.

“It should make us think why we haven’t got rid of terrorism? Why we’re witnessing such acts of terror?”

The attack came weeks after President Beji Caid Essebsi announced the extension of Tunisia’s state of emergency for one more month, amid growing political tensions ahead of next year’s legislative and presidential elections.

This year, Tunisia has been rocked by months of political turmoil which saw last month the end to the four-year alliance between the secular Nidaa Tounes party and the Islamist party Ennahdha.

“This attack is an expected result of the current political situation with the ongoing fierce debate between the ruling parties,” argued Sami Brahem, political scientist and researcher at the government-run Centre for Economic and Social Studies.

“The strategy of terrorism is to capitalise on the tense climate in political life and make its way in.”

Disadvantaged status

In light of the latest violence, Brahem urged all stakeholders – including all ministries – to put differences aside and join forces for the full implementation of the national counterterrorism strategy.

But in a country struggling with high unemployment and inflation, the focus should not just be on strengthening security but…

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