Transitions from Authoritarian Rule following the Arab Uprisings: A Matter of Variables

The transformations that are taking place in the Arab world, like every transitional process, are undoubtedly extremely complex: they are not straightforward or rational. Rather they are dynamic processes characterized by a number of variables, that one can refer to as actors (i.e., subjects involved in the transitional process) and factors (i.e., facts that influence the transitional period). Some of these actors/factors are indicative of specific trends taking place in transition processes in North Africa and in the Middle East. Al-Nahda in Tunisia is an example of one of the Islamist parties that came to power following the Arab uprisings, and that now have to face a number of sensitive and difficult challenges; the Egyptian Supreme Constitutional Court is indicative of the trend consisting of the emergence and strengthening of constitutional courts following the Arab upheavals; the role played by Mohammed VI in Morocco reflects the resistance of Arab monarchies to the wind of change; the key role played by external actors in Libya highlights that the outcome of the processes of transition not only depends on internal variables; the case of Algeria shows that, despite the profound changes taking place in the MENA region, there are numerous and heterogeneous factors that hinder reform processes. In this chapter each of these trends is analysed from a comparative constitutional standpoint by making reference to and comparing similar experiences that took place in other regions of the world.