Resumen de Something is Rotten in the State of Tunisia
Neither the major party, the Islamist Nahda party nor the lay coalition Nidaa Tunis which is currently in power dare to take bold economic decisions.
The informal sector has engulfed the economy and represents more than 50% of GDP.
The spread of mafia style activities is a growing threat in Tunisia and attempts by senior officials to confuse genuine protests and criminal activity is disingenuous.
There are three engines of growth in Tunisia: consumption, exports and investment. The first two are floundering and the government refuses to stoke up the third.
On the borders, the nature of smuggling has changed in recent years: key actors have become far more violent as they transmutate from smuggling to jihadi fighting.
The government has no regional policy, nor is it fighting the informal economy.
45% of the budget is earmarked for civil service pay, a figure which has increased from the 38% it represented five years ago and which stands for 14% of GDP.
Investment has declined from an average of 25% of GDP between 2000 and 2011 to 15% today, as domestic investment falters and foreign investment declines and capital flight increases.
