From Tunisia to Africa: non-liberal statecraft and China’s strategic turn

Abstract

This article explores the dynamics of deliberalisation in Tunisia after the Arab Spring, emphasizing how the dismantling of liberal reforms has reshaped broader transformations of post-socialist African polities. This shift has fostered a political environment that is more receptive to non-liberal paradigms of governance and external engagement. In this sense, we argue that Tunisia’s political evolution reflects a strategic adaptation to regional and global pressure rather than a linear democratic transition. Within this reconfigured order, the People’s Republic of China has recalibrated its foreign policy towards Tunisia. Moving beyond a low-profile, economy-centred approach, China has adopted a more assertive diplomatic position, expanding strategic partnerships and leveraging Tunisia’s post-liberal trajectory to increase its influence in the region. Through qualitative analysis, including semi-structured interviews, this article demonstrates how the intersection between domestic deliberalisation and external assertiveness reflects a wider transformation in African statecraft. We argue that Tunisia offers critical insights into the lessons of non-liberal governance, the recalibration of sovereignty, and the contested role of great powers in reshaping the regional order.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. African Identities, 2026 · DOI ↗