Thousands of supporters of the influential UGTT union demonstrated today in Tunisia against President Kais Saied. At rallies in eight cities, they accused him of undermining basic democratic rights and therefore also the rights of trade unions.
In the town of Sfax, protesters carried flags and placards. Slogans such as “Stop the attack on union freedom” or “Cowardly Saied, the union is not afraid” could be read. In Sfax, European Trade Union Confederation official Esther Lynch conveyed the message that 45 million European trade unionists would support their Tunisian colleagues.
Portal/Jihed Abidellaoui
After a wave of arrests of government critics, the UGTT called its million-plus members to defend the rights of Tunisians. Protests are planned in other cities in the coming days. The main rally is scheduled for early March in the capital, Tunis.
Arrests for alleged ‘conspiracies’
Since last weekend, the police have arrested several politicians, journalists and businessmen accused of plotting a conspiracy against the country’s security. Saied spoke of “traitors” responsible for price increases and food shortages. The UN Human Rights Office has called on the Tunisian government to release the detainees.
Government opponents accuse Saied of a coup d’état. In 2021, he overthrew parliament and replaced the government with ministers he had chosen. He also significantly increased the powers of the president, so that almost all the power in the country is in his hands. Observers fear that Saied wants to turn North Africa’s last democratic state into an autocracy. Since the outbreak of the Arab Spring in 2011, Tunisia has been considered a beacon of hope for democratization in the region.