In the coming week, Tunisia's struggling democracy holds parliamentary elections.

The U.S. Congress rushes to avoid a government shutdown,

and Argentina and France face off in the finals of a World Cup like no other.

It's December 15, 2022 in time for the world next week. I'm Bob McMahon.

And I'm Jim Lindsay.

Bob, let's start in North Africa.

This Saturday, Tunisians heads of the polls for their parliamentary election.

This is the first election since Tunisians voted to adopt

a new constitution back in July. Critics claim that the election is President Kais

Said's attempt at an undemocratic coup. So what's at stake for Tunisia?

Well, Jim, as you alluded to, democracy's at stake.

Safe to say.

President Saeed heard an earful, shall we say, at his attendance with U.S.

officials at the Africa Summit just this week in Washington.

He heard a great deal of concern by U.S. officials who have been withholding aid to

Tunisia out of concern that Saeed is making a power play and sort of consolidating a power play with the holding of these elections under conditions that have pretty much defanged or rendered the parliament a much less effective and powerful than it had been previously.

Just to cite one of the things that will be different this time, there will be fewer seats in the parliament, fewer real checks and balances built into its role.

And there had been rules previously that had provided for gender parity and youth representation parliament.

Those no longer apply.

Said is pointing to this as an important vote to consolidate the changes that he put in place

to avoid what he said was a crisis situation.

And we should note, Tunisia until not too long ago was considered the one country who emerged

...