Decentralization, Local Government Transition in Tunisia: Legal and Political underpinnings

Abstract

The research paper aims to address a topic in political systems and the administration of governance. It will deal with the transition from the decentralization of decision-making to the incarnation of the local governance system. The latter is heading towards embodying local democracy through encouraging participation in making the local development policy in local governance institutions. The paper also aims to examine the legal, political basis that came in the context of the transition towards local governance in Tunisia, especially studying the most important chapters that were covered by the legislator in the 2014 constitution, as well as the Basic Law of 2018 related to the Local Communities Code. Therefore, we concluded that the transition towards local governance in Tunisia stems from the absolute centralization that characterized the system of governance in Tunisia before 2011, which negatively affected the administration of governance.