The recent actions of Tunisian President Kais Saied, including the suspension of parliament and dismissal of government officials, have sparked concerns among democracy and human rights advocates about the state of Tunisia's democratic institutions.

Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi was arrested last week and remains in detention, as part of an ongoing crackdown against critics of President Kais Saied. Ghannouchi’s arrest and Saied’s clampdown on political freedoms have major implications for Tunisia’s domestic affairs as well as its foreign relations.

The upcoming Summit for Democracy aims to address the growing threat of autocracy and authoritarianism around the world, with the US seeking to strengthen alliances and counter the influence of countries like China and Russia, while conflicts like the ongoing war in Ukraine underscore the urgency of the issue.

With everything that happened last week, one could easily have missed what is nevertheless an ostensibly central pillar of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy: the second Summit for Democracy. Some critics say the summit risks becoming an “inconsequential talk shop.” In fact, it has already crossed that line.