Tunisians Take To The Streets As Anger Over Democracy And Economy Grows

Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets of Tunis on Saturday in what is the biggest demonstration against President Kais Saied in years, as anger grows over his handling of the country’s democracy and economy.

The protest, organised by the powerful UGTT labour union alongside civil society groups, unfolds against a backdrop of economic crisis, declining public services, repeated water and electricity outages, and shortages of medicine and basic goods.

Participants accused Saied of eroding democratic freedoms and mismanaging the economy, posing one of the strongest challenges yet to his rule.

Saied took sweeping powers across 2021 and 2022, dissolving parliament, removing dozens of judges and governing by decree.

His opponents have called these actions a coup.

Human rights groups say he has stepped up repression of civil society, journalists and opposition figures.

Saied denies the accusations, insisting he is no dictator, and has charged his critics with deliberately engineering economic crises to stir social unrest.

In an unusual display of unity, opposition parties from across the political spectrum marched alongside lawyers, doctors, journalists, jobless Tunisians and civil society groups down Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the focal point of the 2011 protests that helped spark the Arab Spring.

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The turnout represents a notable test for Saied, since years of division had left the opposition unable to bring out large crowds.

“Silence will no longer be acceptable … the state cannot built by concentrating all powers in the hand of one person”, Slah Eddine Salmi, head of the UGTT, told the rally.

Hundreds of police officers were stationed throughout the capital.

Marchers chanted: “No fear, power belongs to the people!” and “The prisons are full, people are hungry!.”

They also took up the famous slogan from the 2011 uprising, which was largely peaceful in Tunisia: “The people want the fall of the regime!”

Demonstrators demanded the release of Saied’s critics and an end to what they called attacks on trade union rights.

Some held banners voicing anger over joblessness and pollution.

“Enough is enough! The country is collapsing. We suffer from power and water cuts, and one crisis after another,” said Yassine Gharseli, a protester from Sfax, about 250 km (155 miles) south of Tunis.

“I came from Sfax to stand up for my freedom and I’m not about to give up, even if I become the last voice in the country.”