Tunisia: Protests and clashes likely to continue nationwide through at least late June
Category: Security
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
06/01/2023 (Tunisia) - The demonstrations and the prevailing sense of political uncertainty in Tunisia come at a time when the country's economy has been severely weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in the prices of various goods, such as food and fuel. Tunisia's unemployment rate is around 16 percent and will likely rise over the coming months. Activists have staged protests in several cities to denounce the economic hardship and have occasionally burned tires, blocked roads, and engaged in acts of vandalism and looting. In response, Tunisian authorities have arrested hundreds of people and deployed the military to some cities on multiple occasions.
Meanwhile, President Kais Saied has bypassed democratic rule over the past year by ruling through decree, dissolving the Parliament, and dismissing the prime minister. In July 2022, through a referendum where only 30.5 percent of the population voted, Saied changed the constitution and created a presidential system, further strengthening his control. The new constitution has angered most opposition parties as it has reduced the power of the Parliament and many Tunisian institutions. Saied has also increased its crackdown on opposition leaders, journalists, and civil society activists. On April 18, authorities arrested Rached Ghannouchi, president of the opposition party Ennahda, and closed all offices of the Salvation Front, the opposition coalition to which Ennahda belongs. This decision has been perceived as Saied's latest attempt to silence opposition, leading to widespread criticism of the Tunisian government's authoritarian tendencies.
Copyright © 2024 Drum Cussac
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