I just ran into this bug while playing an online match with my friend.
The setup:
Three other Civs had picked an ideology, and it was my turn. Going for a culture victory and having a decent influence buffer, I figured I didn't have to worry about influence and picked Autocracy. Trigger 13 Unhappiness.
My friend and I double-check that I'm exotic with all the other NPCs, no one has over 18% influence with me. I'm also not doing very well (first map on King in BNW), have no techs to steal, and haven't had trouble with spies meddling with things. What gives?
Unable to find a solution, I just opt to go with the next chosen ideology. Wait two turns. STILL 13 Unhappiness! This is crippling my war effort, as extra raging barbarians are not helping. Do it a third time to the final ideology. 13 Unhappiness again! ARGH!
The bug goes deeper...
I go into the ideology picking screen, and out of frustration I spam-click the "we are in civil unrest, change your ideology" button. It cycles through all three options, unhappiness unchanging. However, at the top of the window, I see the "Number of Free Tenets" increase every time I hit the button!
...
o.o
WHAT?!
Seeing this as a way out of my dilemma, I spammed the button up to 18 free tenants and maxed out the tree with every happiness tenant I could. I was able to get back up to positive happiness and overrode the stupid constant 13 Unhappiness plaguing my empire.
Later, when too many enemies picked other ideologies, I swapped again. I only got 15 free tenets carried over, but it was enough to keep up my happiness
.
Here's my save at the point of getting as many free tenets as I wanted. It's a multi game, don't know if that matters:
