Tunisians protest economic hardship, demand president’s resignation

Tunisians protest economic hardship, demand president’s resignation

Thousands of Tunisians on Saturday staged a protest against President Kais Saied over the worsening economic crisis in the country.

The protesters also called for Saied’s resignation, accusing his administration of undermining democracy and failing to address the country’s worsening economic crisis.

The demonstration, led by the UGTT labour union and civil society groups, comes amid deteriorating public services, frequent water and power cuts, and shortages of medicines and essential goods.

The protest brought together opposition groups across the political spectrum in a rare show of unity after years of internal divisions weakened their ability to mobilise large crowds.

Some of the protesters, including opposition politicians, lawyers, doctors, journalists and unemployed people, marched along Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital, Tunis, a key site of the 2011 protests that helped spark the Arab Spring uprisings.

Hundreds of police officers were deployed across the capital as protesters chanted, “No fear, power belongs to the people” and “Prisons are full, people are hungry”.

They called for the release of critics of the president and condemned what they described as attacks on trade union rights. Others carried banners highlighting unemployment and pollution.

In 2021, Saied assumed power, dissolving parliament and dismissed dozens of judges before beginning to rule by decree. His opponents described the moves as a coup.

Rights groups have also accused his administration of intensifying its crackdown on civil society organisations, journalists and opposition figures.

Saied has rejected the allegations, insisting that he is not a dictator. He has also accused his opponents of deliberately creating economic crises to fuel social unrest.

The north-African president has ruled the country for seven years, since he assumed office in 2019.