The Tunisian General Labour Union organized a protest against President Kais Saied in the capital on Saturday, marking what appears to be the largest demonstration to date, showcasing its strength following strict measures taken by authorities against opponents recently.
Habib Bourguiba Avenue was filled with thousands of protesters holding banners reading "No to individual rule" and chanting "Freedoms, Freedoms, the police state is over." The march came weeks after significant arrests targeting prominent opponents of Saied, marking the first major crackdown since he consolidated extensive powers in 2021 by dissolving parliament and ruling through decrees.
Noureddine Taboubi, the Secretary General of the Labour Union, addressed the crowds, stating, "We will continue to defend freedoms and all rights, no matter the cost. We are not afraid of prisons and arrests." He added, "I salute the human rights advocates and politicians in Mernaquia prison," referring to those recently detained. Hamma Hammami, leader of the Workers' Party, told Reuters, "The only response to Saied and the creeping dictatorship is the street and protest." He emphasized, "He wants to instill fear, but Tunisians are no longer afraid."
Saied's opponents argue that "it has become clearer than ever that he dismantled the democracy brought by the 2011 revolution, which sparked the Arab Spring, and will eliminate the freedoms achieved because of it." Saied claims that his actions are legal and necessary to save Tunisia from chaos and do not constitute a coup.
Initially, the General Labour Union criticized Saied’s steps slowly, while political parties labeled them a coup. However, as Saied tightened his grip and ignored the Union and other players, the influential Union began to clearly oppose the president. A senior Union official was arrested last month for organizing a strike at toll stations, leading the Union to state that Saied declared war on it and its one million members.
Last week, Tunisian authorities barred foreign union leaders from entering Tunisia to participate in the march in solidarity with the Labour Union, with Saied stating he would not accept foreigners joining the protests.
The size of Saturday's demonstration indicates that the Labour Union still represents a strong opponent that Saied may struggle to marginalize as he attempts to sideline other opponents following a parliamentary election that saw low voter turnout.
Public anger is likely to escalate amid Tunisia’s economic crisis, the state’s finances nearing collapse, and shortages of essential goods. Police have arrested over ten prominent opposition figures in recent weeks, most connected to a coalition of parties and protesters planning a march tomorrow (Sunday), facing charges of conspiring against state security.
Among those arrested in recent weeks are politicians from the Ennahda Islamist party, the largest party in the dissolved parliament, protest leaders, the director of Mosaique FM—Tunisia's leading independent media outlet—and a prominent businessman. Tunisian professor Najeh Zaidi, who participated in the protest, stated, "Saied threatens everyone... parties, unions, and civil society... Tunisians have come out to express their rejection of creeping populism and emerging dictatorship."
