Democracy, Sharia, and Beyond: Political Regime Preferences in Tunisia

• In Event: Capturing Causal Complexity: Islam/ism and Democracy

Abstract

This article challenges the binary perspective of regime preferences in Muslim-majority countries, typically framed as a choice between democracy and Sharia. It argues that this dichotomy fails to capture the real preferences influenced by varied political experiences and external factors in these regions. The paper identifies two critical dimensions in understanding political preferences: the interplay between religious and political space and the degree of systemic competitiveness. It posits that while religiosity, especially in its public and political forms, may incline individuals towards competitive and noncompetitive regimes with Islamic principles, this effect varies with the type of religiosity and the competitive nature of the regime. The paper uses Tunisia's then-democratic context to explore the complexity of political preferences. It uses a nationwide survey conducted in Tunisia in 2014 when political freedoms were still enjoyed. Using Latent Class Analysis for regime preferences suggests a more intricate typology of regime preferences than the simple democratic-Sharia dichotomy, revealing that private religiosity has a limited role in shaping political inclinations. In contrast, publicly visible religiosity ( e.g., beards and hijabs) and political religiosity are more strongly linked to preferences for Islamic-oriented competitive regimes. Notably, religiosity does not necessarily negate support for secular authoritarian systems, indicating that religious beliefs may shape cultural norms without strictly dictating political choices.

Authors

• Muhammet Akkus, SUNY, Binghamton University

• Ekrem Karakoc, SUNY, Binghamton University