Tunisia is where the Arab uprisings erupted in December 2010, spreading east and ushering in 10 years of change, chaos, and wars. It’s also the only “Arab Spring” country that could claim some success in transitioning to democracy. That’s why many were shocked to see Tunisia’s President Kais Saied oust the government and freeze parliament, using the army. Some Tunisians are celebrating what has been denounced as a coup by the ruling parties, and there are allegations of Emirati assistance. 

Is this a minor constitutional crisis, an economic uprising, or a coup against a Muslim Brotherhood government just like Morsi’s in Egypt in 2013? To answer these questions and more, Rania Khalek was joined by Fadil Aliriza, a Tunisia-based researcher and journalist. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of Meshkal, an independent Tunisian media outlet.