Is Tunisia on the Road to Islamism?

Tunisia’s first postrevolution election is the point of departure for a societal process that will determine whether Islamist governments are able to rule within a pluralist political system. The jury is out.

Tunisia bears watching. It has a well-educated, largely urban and homogeneous population, absent feuding tribes and sectarian fault lines. It has a secular, if autocratic, tradition. The army was determinant in throwing out Zine El Abidine Ben Ali but has neither the ability nor perhaps the inclination to dominate the process. The country’s ties with the West are numerous and tourism is essential, making it dependent on outside goodwill.