RT Journal Article
T1 Voting with dissatisfaction: an analysis of the 2019 parliamentary election in Tunisia
A1 Govantes, Bosco
A1 Hernando de Larramendi, Miguel
A1 Alfonso, Antonio
K1 Democracy
K1 Populism
K1 Voter dissatisfaction
K1 Democratic backsliding
K1 Autocratization
K1 Democratic transitions
K1 Tunisia
AB Tunisia was seen as a democratic success in the Arab world, yet the 2019 parliamentary elections exposed issues. Voter turnout was low, and partisan ties were weak, leading to unprecedented fragmentation and volatility. These trends, linked to citizen dissatisfaction, help explain the widespread support for populist outsider Kaïs Saied in the presidential race, and for populists like Nabil Karoui or Abir Moussi in the parliamentary elections. Since the mid-2010s, citizen dissatisfaction has been evident through increasing social mobilizations and surveys regarding perceptions of institutional performance. This study explores the electoral behaviour of a dissatisfied electorate in the 2019 parliamentary elections and its effect on Tunisia’s transition. Dissatisfaction is crucial for understanding the rise of populist forces and the current authoritarian drift. The principal findings reveal general declining voter participation, frequent shifts in political allegiance within the same ideological bloc and perceiving a lower level of engagement in the secular-right bloc. Finally, a notable response to populist claims, with the emergence of new populist parties in all ideological spheres, is revealed.
PB Taylor & Francis
YR 2025
FD 2025-06-19
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10433/26388
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10433/26388
LA en
NO Govantes, B., Alfonso, A., & Hernando de Larramendi, M. (2026). Voting with dissatisfaction: an analysis of the 2019 parliamentary election in Tunisia. Democratization, 33(2), 392–421
NO This article demonstrates how voter dissatisfaction can transform electoral volatility into a pathway for populist breakthroughs in fragile democracies.Financiado por los proyectos: - Plan Propio Investigación Universidad Pablo de Olavide, proyecto:  "Desafección, populismo y autoritarismo en el norte de África: Túnez como estudio de caso” (PPI2404)- Plan Propio Investigación Universidad de Castilla La Mancha-FEDER, proyecto: "El vínculo entre lo doméstico y lo internacional en el Norte de África: regímenes políticos, dinámicas socioeconómicas y relaciones exteriores" (2022-GRIN-34233) - Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad de España, proyecto: Crisis y procesos de cambio regional en el Norte de África: sus implicaciones para España" (CSO2017-849-49-C3-3-P).
NO (Embargo de acceso hasta 19 diciembre 2026)
NO Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Departamento de Derecho Público
NO Area de Ciencia Política y de la Administración
DS RIO
RD May 22, 2026