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Tunisia is extremely dependent on economic conditions in Europe, which is why it also experienced shockwaves from the euro crisis.
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When it comes to France, it seems to me the fundamental question is how a former colonial power should interact with its former colony.
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It's wrong to focus only on economic cooperation and then to hope that a sufficiently stable system will become democratic more or less by itself. The EU needs to urge its neighbors to pursue both economic stability and political modernization in equal measures.
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Of course former colonial powers are always more present and influential. They're the ones who need to defend the EU's values on the frontlines.
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Political Islam is not a homogeneous bloc.
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The underlying reason for this is the Europeans' fear that Islamists could gain power. Many still consider authoritarian Arab regimes to be the lesser evil.