Secular in what way? The Tunisian constitution states that Islam is their official religion and that the President must be Muslim. Religious freedom is granted by their constitution, and 99% of the country practices Islam.
Algeria might be considered more secular. When the Islamic Salvation Front won the first rounds of the Algerian elections in 1991, the military took control of the government in order to stop Algeria from becoming an Islamist state under sharia law, which caused the civil war. The Algerian constitution also states that no political party may be formed if it is "based on differences in religion, language, race, gender or religion". Still, 99% of Algerians practice Islam.
You are right that Islam is the official religion. But I don't think it means much.
Tunisia encourages women working in official positionsnot to wear the hijab in public places. Same restrictions for men. Indeed, you could say that the rules is stricted than in France (the most violently anti hijab of my friends are Tunisian muslims). It is only of anedoctal value, but within most of my friends who are muslims, most of the ones not practising the religion at all (eating pig, drinking alcohol) are of Tunisian descendant.
You are the first person that I know who claim Algeria is more secular than Tunisia. I would be curious to know what you are basing it on, the fact that the military took control does not mean much: what matters is the society.
Well I guess i'm more basing it on semantics -- secularity typically is defined by a state being separated from religion, and I was just pointing out that Tunisia has explicit mentions of religion in regards to its state and president, whereas Algeria explicitly states otherwise.
RE: Algeria, I have a lot of family there, and my immediate family travels back at least once a year. Overall it's a very liberal, secular country, especially compared to other Arab nations.
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Secular in what way? The Tunisian constitution states that Islam is their official religion and that the President must be Muslim. Religious freedom is granted by their constitution, and 99% of the country practices Islam.
Algeria might be considered more secular. When the Islamic Salvation Front won the first rounds of the Algerian elections in 1991, the military took control of the government in order to stop Algeria from becoming an Islamist state under sharia law, which caused the civil war. The Algerian constitution also states that no political party may be formed if it is "based on differences in religion, language, race, gender or religion". Still, 99% of Algerians practice Islam.
You are right that Islam is the official religion. But I don't think it means much.
Tunisia encourages women working in official positionsnot to wear the hijab in public places. Same restrictions for men. Indeed, you could say that the rules is stricted than in France (the most violently anti hijab of my friends are Tunisian muslims). It is only of anedoctal value, but within most of my friends who are muslims, most of the ones not practising the religion at all (eating pig, drinking alcohol) are of Tunisian descendant.
You are the first person that I know who claim Algeria is more secular than Tunisia. I would be curious to know what you are basing it on, the fact that the military took control does not mean much: what matters is the society.
Well I guess i'm more basing it on semantics -- secularity typically is defined by a state being separated from religion, and I was just pointing out that Tunisia has explicit mentions of religion in regards to its state and president, whereas Algeria explicitly states otherwise.
RE: Algeria, I have a lot of family there, and my immediate family travels back at least once a year. Overall it's a very liberal, secular country, especially compared to other Arab nations.