Tunisia Revolt Threatens Rulers Sharing Regime Model

The violent ouster of Tunisia’s Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last week may undermine rulers across the region who share his authoritarian regime model.

The rising living standards Ben Ali delivered during 23 years in power helped blunt resentment at his family’s wealth and his habit of throwing critics in jail, according to analysts including U.S. diplomats who wrote a cable published by WikiLeaks in December. The month-long protests in Tunisia initially targeted increasing food costs and unemployment, showing how rising global commodity prices and struggling export markets have made it harder for leaders such as Ben Ali to placate their growing populations.