On December 17, 2012, a Tunisian street vendor, named Mohammed Bouazizi, set himself alight in protest at harassment and humiliation that he received at the hands of government officials. His self-immolation served as the catalyst that galvanised the population to embark on a revolution against long-serving leader Zine El Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years in power. The toppling of Ben Ali was to have great ramifications for not only Tunisia, but for the region as a whole, as waves of protests spread throughout the Arab world resulting in regime change in Egypt and Libya.

This report seeks to provide insight into some of the root causes of what came to be known as the Arab Spring and to analyse the consequences that the uprisings have had on the political dynamic in Africa, with particular focus on the political dynamic within continental body – the African Union (AU), as well as the regional dynamic within the Arab League. By investigating the characteristics of each country that experienced regime change, it is possible to identify certain trends that will help to predict whether an Arab Spring-like uprising is possible in other African countries on the basis of shared or similar traits. In doing so, the report looks into the cases where regime change has occurred, specifically Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Although these States are not archetypal, a closer look into their political systems and culture, combined with the regional dynamics, may provide important clues as to why revolutions occurred in these countries.

Before proceeding it is important to note that the Arab Spring is a new and evolving phenomenon. There are no definitive truths regarding the events still occurring in the region and the full consequences are yet to be seen, as at the time of writing Egypt awaits a presidential election amid conflict between the civilian population and the Supreme Military Council (SMC), while Libya awaits an election that many hope promises civil governance after a drawn out civil war resulting in the death of former dictator Muammar Gadaffi. Further, Syria is locked in a violent struggle between protestors and President Bashar al-Assad. One should bear in mind that the situation in the region is volatile and unpredictable and should therefore, given the time of writing, be taken in context.

In analysing each specific uprising that resulted in regime change, namely Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, it is possible to identify characteristics that combined to result in popular protest and thereafter revolution.

The material contained in this report was compiled by Bradley Dubbleman and the Research Unit of Creamer Media