✍️ Preamble
In the name of the Tunisian people,
We, a group of citizens of Tunisia, members of the Tunisna Movement,
Believing that the human being is the ultimate purpose of all legislation and the source of all sovereignty, and that his dignity and freedom constitute the foundation of his existence and the condition of his progress,
Acknowledging that Tunisia has never been a barren land, but since the dawn of history has been a living civilizational space. It was here that the Capsian culture emerged, migrating from the heart of Africa towards the North, settling in what is today southern Tunisia, affirming Tunisia’s African identity and sowing the seeds of adaptation and human creativity.
From these roots, over centuries, developed the foundation of the Amazigh people, who intertwined with Libyan, Nubian, and Pharaonic extensions before integrating into Mediterranean networks through Phoenician migrations and the rise of the early Punic presence.
In this environment, ancient Jewish migrations also settled, adding a religious and cultural dimension to the Tunisian fabric. From this accumulation was born great Carthage, with its maritime constitution, extending its commercial and cultural influence across the two shores of the Mediterranean. Then arose the Numidian kingdom, one of the pillars of ancient North Africa.
Thereafter came successive foreign powers: the Romans, bringing law, urbanism, and agriculture; the Vandals and Byzantines, who added elements of Eastern and Western Mediterranean cultures. During this early era, Christianity spread across Roman Africa, making Tunisia a major religious and intellectual center.
With the advent of Arab Islam, Tunisia became part of the great Islamic civilization, a scientific and commercial hub, and a space of interaction between schools of thought. Under the Fatimids, Ismaili Shi’ism emerged alongside the Sunni Maliki school which later prevailed, while Ibadism settled in the South – reflecting diversity of belief within a single religion and the richness of intellectual and spiritual life in Ifriqiya.
In the medieval era, Tunisia interacted with Morocco under the Almoravids, Almohads, and Marinids, enriching the shared Maghreb identity. The country also received Andalusian migrations after the fall of Al-Andalus, which added distinctive contributions to the arts, architecture, agriculture, and crafts.
Later came the Ottomans, who reinforced the centrality of the emerging modern state and linked Tunisia to the Eastern Mediterranean, followed by the French Protectorate, which imposed direct colonization but introduced modern education and administration, while at the same time sparking the national movement that led to independence.
Thus, over thousands of years, Tunisia absorbed all these influences: African, Amazigh, Numidian, Libyan, Pharaonic, Nubian, Mediterranean, Punic, Jewish, Carthaginian, Roman, Christian, Arab, Islamic (Sunni, Shi’a, and Ibadi), Andalusian, Maghrebi, Ottoman, and European — and assimilated them all. Tunisia was never a mere receiver but always a force of creation and innovation, transforming all these legacies into building blocks of its national identity.
From this profound historical interaction was shaped the unique Tunisian identity:
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African in its roots,
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Amazigh in its depth and culture,
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Carthaginian in its heritage,
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enriched by the Islamic civilizational legacy,
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Mediterranean in its openness,
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multilingual and multifaith,
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rich in cultural diversity,
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modern in its institutions,
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and humanist in its values.
Proud of the struggles and sacrifices of past generations for independence, freedom, and democracy,
Affirming that the modern State can only be founded on civility and absolute neutrality toward beliefs, religions, ethnicities, and regional affiliations — whereby religion and faith remain a personal matter, while the State guarantees freedom of conscience and belief and ensures full equality among all citizens, without privilege or discrimination,
Recognizing that human dignity is indivisible, and that all Tunisians are equal before the law regardless of their religions, ethnicities, languages, origins, appearances, colors, physical traits, disabilities, or genders — men and women alike — with no distinction except as determined by law in terms of rights and duties,
Conscious that the intertwining of religion and politics, narrow nationalism, regionalism, and all forms of ethnic, cultural, or social discrimination have throughout history been among the main causes of conflict, division, and injustice,
We establish a State that separates the realm of personal faith from that of public decision-making, prohibits all forms of discrimination and segregation, guarantees every individual the right to live their convictions freely, and prevents any authority from using religion, ethnicity, region, or doctrine as instruments of domination or exclusion.
Convinced that participatory democracy, the rule of law, and the peaceful transfer of power are the only path to ensuring the stability of the State and the unity of the people,
Determined that Tunisia be an active part of the international community, committed to the principles of peace, cooperation, and respect for human rights, as enshrined in international instruments, particularly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the two International Covenants, and the African Charter,
Aiming to build a just and sustainable economy that balances economic freedom with social justice, and safeguards the rights of future generations to a healthy environment and preserved natural resources,
Believing that culture, science, and free thought are the essential pillars of a balanced, open, and creative society,
Acknowledging the duty of the State to protect the environment and nature, safeguard resources, and ensure the rights of animals and plants, thereby guaranteeing harmony between humanity and its ecosystem,
Recognizing the central role of youth and women, and the obligation of the State to ensure their full empowerment and eliminate all forms of discrimination or exclusion,
Conscious of the necessity to contribute to climate protection and to preserve a healthy environment that guarantees the sustainability of natural resources and the continuity of safe life for future generations,
Seeking to fulfill the will of the people to be authors of their own history, convinced that science, labor, and creativity are supreme human values, striving toward progress, aspiring to civilizational contribution, based on the independence of national decision-making, universal peace, and human solidarity,
Affirming that the unity of the Tunisian people is founded on the values of citizenship, diversity, justice, and solidarity, and not on any religious, ethnic, regional, linguistic, or physical affiliation,
We, in the name of the Tunisian people, hereby proclaim this humanist and civilizational Constitution:
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A Constitution of freedom, equality, and dignity,
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A Pact for the common homeland that embraces all its sons and daughters without exclusion,
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And a guarantee of a civil, democratic, and secular State,
which protects rights, respects diversity, prohibits all forms of discrimination, safeguards humanity, the environment, nature, and animals, and builds the future.