Page 40 - Tunisia 2011

IRI Tunisia Index – Page Three

o A troubling 28 percent of Tunisians said they have difficulty feeding themselves, their families and buying the most essential things for survival. This compares with 43 percent who said they have means for survival but not enough money for extra things, and 21 percent who said they are able to afford things like new clothes and eating at restaurants.

o Thinking ahead to next year, Tunisians’ expectations for the economy have been somewhat tempered since March. Seventy-one percent believe their household’s financial situation will be better in the next year, including 28 percent of respondents who believe it will be much better, compared to 84 percent and 35 percent, respectively, in March.

 Political Transition

o The survey asked respondents about the commissions created by Tunisia’s interim government to deal with issues of corruption, political reform and human rights violations. A wide majority (82 percent) said they had heard of these commissions. o When asked about the individual commissions’ set-up to deal with these issues, respondents had the most confidence in the Political Reform Commission led by Iyadh Ben Achour. Fifty-five percent of respondents indicated they were confident in the Political Reform Commission as compared with 52 percent who said they were confident in the Human Rights Commission and 48 percent who were confident in the Corruption Commission. These levels of confidence are largely unchanged since March.

o Over the course of the transition Tunisians may become more politically independent. Forty-five percent of respondents in the latest poll stated their head of household had at least some influence on their political opinions, compared to 69 percent who said so in March. A similar decline in influence was apparent for religious, union and political party leaders.

o The survey indicates a complex divide between religion and secularism among Tunisians. Only 23 percent of respondents claimed to know what the difference is between a secular and non-secular government. Upon hearing the definition, 54 percent approved of a secular government while only 40 percent disapproved. o Although a narrow majority of Tunisians (54 percent) approve of a secular

government, a similar number (51 percent) said they would prefer to see a moderately Islamist constituent assembly. Only eight percent said they would prefer a strongly Islamist assembly, while only three percent indicated they would prefer it to be strongly secular. Among those who disapproved of a secular government, the overwhelming majority (80 percent) said they would prefer a moderately Islamist constituent assembly, while only 14 percent indicated a preference for strongly Islamist parties.

o When asked why they would approve a secular government, the plurality of respondents (47 percent) replied it would guarantee freedom, democracy and equality; 27 percent indicated that they preferred to keep religion separate from politics. Those who disapproved of a secular government cited a number of

explanations, including that Islam has solutions for every sector (26 percent), and that they like a government based on religion (16 percent). Only two percent claimed they disapprove of secularism because it comes from the West.

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