Based on a wealth of new primary data, this book offers the first account of the internal regime factors that ultimately caused the fall of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's long dictatorship in Tunisia during the Arab Uprisings. Anne Wolf's account challenges studies that focus on the role of mass mobilization alone, and demonstrates that in the last decade of Ben Ali's presidency, dissent within his ruling party - the Constitutional Democratic Rally - mounted to such an extent that followers began challenging their own powerbroker. The culmination of this was a secret coup d'état staged by regime figures against Ben Ali in January 2011, an event that has not previously been uncovered. Wolf proposes a new theory of power and contention within ruling parties in authoritarian regimes to explain how dictators seek to fortify their rule and foster party-political stability, but also when, why, and how they succumb to internal contention and with what effect.

"This is an invaluable and meticulously researched contribution to our understanding of the workings of ruling parties in authoritarian regimes, and, more specifically, the political machinery of the Ben Ali period of Tunisian history." - Emma Murphy, E-International Relations

"Drawing on a wealth of interviews, this revealing book traces the founding, development, and demise of one of the Arab worldâs most infamous autocracies... In revealing the extent of the divisions within the regime, this book is an important counterpoint to the sometimes romanticized versions of the popular uprising that toppled it." - Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs

"a praise worthy piece of scholarship that any student of Middle Eastern and North African studies, Tunisian politics, Authoritarianism as well as comparative politics in general should read. The originality of the field work, rigor of its analysis and sophistication of its narrative shed light on institutional, ideational, historical and contingent factors that lead to authoritarian regimes' durability or breakdown." - Haifa Souilmi, Omran

"Wolf (Univ. of Oxford, England) has completed a fascinating study of Ben Ali's regime in Tunisia (1987-2011) and skillfully connects it to the voluminous body of academic literature on authoritarian regimes...Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals." - Choice

"Wolf deepens our understanding of politics and policy making in authoritarian regimes." - Lisa Anderson, Perspectives on Politics

"Wolf's new book, Ben Ali's Tunisia, represents an original and much-needed analysis of Ben Ali's authoritarian regime in contrast to most studies of contemporary Tunisian history." - Théo Blanc, Journal of Development Studies

"[a] thought-provoking and comprehensively researched study of Ben Ali's consolidation of power and his eventual political demise and exile...Wolf's analysis illuminates the behavior of despots far beyond Tunisia's borders." - Gordon Gray, Former U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia, The Diplomatic Pouch

"Through its detailed exploration of internal regime dynamics and its comparative insights, the book provides a powerful framework for analysing political change and its aftermath, making it a landmark study in the understanding of authoritarian collapse and the processes of revolutionary transformation." - Konstantinos Theocharopoulos, Mediterranean Politics