Thousands March in Tunisia to Protest President Saied
Theo Al Jazeera English
Thousands of Tunisians marched through central Tunis on October 17 to protest against President Kais Saied, deteriorating living conditions and restrictions on political freedom. The demonstration, led by the powerful UGTT union and backed by opposition parties, was described as the largest against Saied in years, with AFP reporting more than 3,000 participants.
Thousands of Tunisians marched through central Tunis on October 17 in protest against President Kais Saied, worsening living conditions and restrictions on political freedom. It was recorded as the largest demonstration against Saied's rule in several years.
The march was led by the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), a powerful trade union federation, alongside opposition parties and civil society groups. The event brought together political opponents who have long been divided, a factor that has weakened their ability to challenge the government.
Agence France-Presse reported that more than 3,000 people took part, although the figure has not been independently verified.
Protesters gathered along Avenue Habib Bourguiba, the main avenue in central Tunis, while hundreds of police were deployed across the capital and several surrounding streets were blocked off.
The crowd included lawyers, doctors, journalists, unemployed people, activists and members of parties across the political spectrum. They demanded the release of detained government critics and an end to restrictions on trade union rights.
Banners reading "No democracy without freedom" and "No dignity in poverty" reflected the political and economic grievances driving the protest.
Protesters also revived the slogan calling for the overthrow of the government, which had been widely heard during Tunisia's 2011 uprising.
Speaking at the march, UGTT leader Salah Eddine Salmi criticized the concentration of political power in the presidency and declared that "silence will no longer be accepted."
The political demands came alongside growing anger over the prices of essential goods and declining purchasing power.
Prolonged hardship
Tunisia has struggled with prolonged economic difficulties, deteriorating public services, repeated water and power cuts, and shortages of medicines and other essential goods.
Protester Yassine Gharseli, from the city of Sfax about 250 km south of Tunis, said repeated disruptions to basic services had deepened his anger at the authorities. "I came from Sfax to stand up for my freedom," he told Reuters at the protest, voicing his determination to keep speaking out.
The October 17 march followed earlier protests over similar grievances. On August 20, demonstrators gathered in Tunis to protest against rising prices and shortages of essential goods. Last month, fuel transport workers held a two-day strike over pay and working conditions, led by a union federation affiliated with the UGTT.
The demands echo Tunisia's 2011 uprising, which ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and helped spark protests across the Arab world. Tunisia subsequently held competitive elections and expanded political freedoms, but unemployment and weak public services have remained persistent sources of frustration.
Saied came to power promising an alternative to that political system. In 2021, however, he suspended parliament and dismissed the government, citing efforts to tackle corruption and political deadlock. He later dissolved parliament, and a new constitution in 2022 expanded presidential powers.
