A dynamic region amidst great change, the Maghreb is also home to the conservative, literalist interpretation of Islam known as Salafism, which has emerged as a major social and political force.

As Tunisia moves closer to elections, the level of trust people have in the government and the electoral system is at a low point. The country’s political parties must find a way to connect with the public to both win votes and restore faith in Tunisia’s democratic institutions.

Religious authority is an increasingly influential but poorly understood source of power in governments throughout the Middle East. Who speaks for Islam in the region? How do Islamists and fundamentalists harness and exert religious authority, despite Islam’s largely decentralized power structure?

While most residents of Tunis support a woman as mayor, a sizable minority does not, which may present obstacles for the newly elected Souad Abderrahim.

Granting Tunisian security forces suffrage provides police unions greater leverage over politicians, diminishing prospects for security sector reform.

Marginalized for decades under former presidents Habib Bourguiba and Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, the Tunisian military has begun to see its fortunes reverse after the 2011 revolution.