So what is the current standing of Tunisia's democratic process and attempts to stabilize the economy following the October elections, the first after the fall of
Zine el Abedine Ben Ali's regime? While the authorities are struggling to rid the economy and government of Ben Ali elements, some of his former supporters have managed to retain considerable influence in the political arena. Determined not to be a bystander, Washington has involved itself in the changeover, even if that has meant supporting the Islamist
Ennahda party, the biggest bloc in the new Parliament.