GUY RAZ, Host:
Eleanor Beardsley has a story from the Tunisian capital of Tunis.
ELEANOR BEARDSLEY: Some were afraid to talk about it, but not 22-year-old Hishem Benyaghem.
HISHEM BENYAGHEM: (French spoken)
BEARDSLEY: I'm very optimistic, he said. This is going to be great for Tunisia. Just fantastic.
(SOUNDBITE OF PROTESTERS)
BEARDSLEY: Claire Spencer, an expert on the Middle East, says that one incident galvanized the population's growing anger.
CLAIRE SPENCER: When the corruption is too flagrant and the responses are too heavy handed, people suddenly say, this is beyond what I and my personal dignity can withstand.
BEARDSLEY: Moncef Marzouki is the head of a banned opposition party. He's been living in France for the last decade, but he's coming home to run for office.
MONCEF MARZOUKI: (Through translator) I am so proud the Tunisian people were able to defeat a dictator. We cannot let anyone steal this revolution from the Tunisian people.
BEARDSLEY: For NPR News, I'm Eleanor Beardsley in Tunis. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
