Having tasted democracy, Tunisians now want their political regime to deliver economically: The failure to do so explains why the county has been losing the legitimacy of democratic transition and why its democratization experience is now half-collapsed.

Along with massive consequences for public health, the global pandemic has taken a toll on the world economy. Due to mandatory lockdowns, economic activity has been all but crippled, barring the operations of most of non-essential businesses.

The ways in which countries across the Middle East and North Africa are combating the economic backlash presented by coronavirus reveal much about the states of their economies and overall capacities to deal with the consequences of the pandemic.

Democracy’s image has taken a beating in the Middle East and North Africa as insecurity and socioeconomic woes forced publics across the region to prioritize stability over participatory politics, thereby facilitating authoritarian backsliding.