Oussama Romdhani
Oussama Romdhani is the editor of The Arab Weekly, a publication dedicated to Middle East and North Africa issues. He served in the past in the Tunisian government and as a diplomat in Washington.
Articles By
Libya Needs a Realistic Endgame By Oussama Romdhani - Jun 9, 2022
Once again Libya finds itself in the middle of a political impasse. Two governments, one in Tripoli and the other in Sirte, with rival prime ministers, are competing for legitimacy as well as domestic and foreign support. The latest showdown started in February when the Tobruk-based parliament designated former interior minister Fathi Bashagha as a new premier … Continue reading “Libya Needs a Realistic Endgame”
Political Showdown Pushes Tunisia Back to the Brink By Oussama Romdhani - Apr 12, 2022
For a day, at least, the specter of two legitimacies competing for power loomed large in Tunisia. On March 30, despite a warning by President Kais Saied that they were acting “illegally,” 116 MPs out of the assembly’s 217 members voted to repeal the decisions and decrees issued by the president since July, when he suspended parliament’s activities, … Continue reading “Political Showdown Pushes Tunisia Back to the Brink”
The Bill For Tunisia’s ‘Waithood’ is Long Overdue By Oussama Romdhani - Mar 7, 2022
For decades, young Tunisians have struggled to move beyond what American political scientist Diane Singerman refers to as “waithood,” the limbo where university graduates in the Middle East and North Africa idle as they look for employment. Today, the frustration of those unemployed youth epitomizes the predicament Tunisia finds itself in as the country searches for light … Continue reading “The Bill For Tunisia’s ‘Waithood’ is Long Overdue”
France’s Anti-Immigrant Populism Misses the Point By Oussama Romdhani - Jan 24, 2022
Electoral debates in France have always been drawn to the issue of immigration. But never has an electoral campaign so disproportionately dealt with migration and identity-related concerns as the current one. With less than three months to go before the country votes for its next president, populist candidates are trying to connect two fears: Immigration … Continue reading “France’s Anti-Immigrant Populism Misses the Point”
Collapse of the Libyan Electoral Process Surprised Very Few By Oussama Romdhani - Dec 30, 2021
Hardly anybody expected the presidential election scheduled for December 24 to go on amid the Libyan maelstrom. A European expert compared the downward spiral to “watching a train wreck in slow motion.” Although no domestic or foreign actor acknowledged responsibility for the failure, there is a lot of blame to go around. Western nations, the United States … Continue reading “Collapse of the Libyan Electoral Process Surprised Very Few”