Thousands rallied outside the Prime Minister’s office in Tunis on Saturday, protesting the worsening living standards, spurred by a call from Tunisia’s main trade union confederation.
Noureddine Taboubi, the head of the confederation, addressed the protesters, highlighting the deepening economic and social challenges. “The economic and social situation continues to deteriorate,” he declared.
Taboubi pointed out that in 2023, the state’s ability to manage its foreign debt had directly impacted the people, leading to shortages of essential goods. He criticised the prioritisation of “diktats from the International Monetary Fund” (IMF) over the welfare of ordinary Tunisians.
According to the National Institute of Statistics, the Tunisian economy stagnated, showing a mere 0.4 percent growth in 2023, while the unemployment rate soared to 16.4 percent. This marked a significant increase from the 15.2 percent unemployment rate recorded at the end of 2022.
Since his power grab in July 2021, President Kais Saied has governed by decree. Last year, he pushed through a constitution granting his office sweeping powers while significantly diminishing the role of parliament.
Amidst a severe economic downturn, Tunisia secured a two billion dollar loan facility from the IMF in October 2022. However, the disbursement of loan tranches stalled as the president refused to implement reforms demanded by the IMF.
