The Ideological Mélange of Religio-Revolutionary Populism in Post-Revolutionary Tunisia

The Tunisian Islamist party Itilaf al-Karama (the Coalition of Dignity) eludes easy classification. Formed in 2019, it has gained notoriety for its populist style and its habit of stoking affective polarisation within Tunisia. In contrast to Ennahda, the main Islamist actor in Tunisia which has moved closer to its secular opponents in various respects, Itilaf al-Karama has become renowned for its cultural conservatism, antagonistic attitude towards its political opponents and disregard for political norms. At the same time, it is one of the sole actors that has continued to call attention to the issue of transitional justice. Indeed, technocratic transitional justice instruments had widespread support early in the revolutionary process but were later largely abandoned as Ennahda and the secular opposition moved closer together in an elite compromise. How can Itilaf al-Karama’s blend of right-wing religious conservatism, populism and revolutionary legitimacy be understood? How are its opponents discursively constructed within this religio-revolutionary worldview? In this paper, I will answer these questions by tracing the ideological and behavioural development of the religious and revolutionary currents in post-revolutionary Tunisia to explain how Itilaf al-Karama came to represent both trends in the face of contemporary divisions and contestations over identity.