Importance of the Arab Spring

Peoples who feel oppressed usually end up revolting and demanding greater freedom. However, the fight for freedom can come with a heavy price. The so-called Arab Spring is a good example of this.

It all started in Tunisia, but continued in Egypt, Libya and Syria

In December 2010, a Tunisian street vendor was stripped of his merchandise and reacted by publicly immolating himself in protest. Thousands of Tunisians raised their voices against the nation's president to demand better living conditions and greater democratic guarantees.

After two months of popular agitation the government of Ben Ali was finally overthrown.

After the popular success in Tunisia, the Egyptians expressed their discontent in 2011 against President Mubarak. The president suppressed the protests and made some changes to his government, but before long Mubarak was forced to cede power over the nation.

Infected with the revolutionary process in Tunisia and Egypt, the population Libyan civilian launched a campaign of protests against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The government reaction was strong and led to a civil war.

In the summer of 2011, the rebels seized the Libyan capital and from that moment Gaddafi began to lose power.

At the end of 2011 Gaddafi was taken prisoner and finally executed, thus ending the civil war.

In 2011, the first protests against the nation's president began in Syria. A part of the society civilians and the army took up arms against the Syrian president and a civil war began that in 2018 is still ongoing.

The effects of the Arab Spring in Syria at the international level

The civil war in Syria has a projection that goes beyond its borders. In this sense, the United States, the European Union and the Arab League support the motion rebel and propose the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad.

At the same time, China, Iran and Russia are backing Bashar al-Assad with weapons and funding.

A balance with lights and shadows

The Arab Spring meant the end of some totalitarian governments. However, the Middle East has become an economically and politically unstable region, with thousands of victims and displaced persons. At the same time, terrorist groups like the Islamic State have increased their power.

Fotolia Arts: MediaNation, Freehandz, Serdarerenlere