A Tunisian government employee carries a picture of ex-president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, who resigned from office after weeks of protests against poverty and corruption in January, igniting the “Arab Spring.” Ben Ali, who was convicted of charges on numerous grounds, fled to Saudi Arabia. He was in power since 1987.
It began with Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring. Egypt, Syria, Libya and Yemen all quickly followed as protesters called for democracy. Most of these countries also suffered mass unemployment, limited economic opportunities and regimes that stayed in power by rigging elections and maintaining a repressive state apparatus.
So where are those leaders now?
The story you just read is not locked behind a paywall because listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World. Can we count on you?