Tunisian police used tear gas to disperse thousands of people who took to the streets on Saturday to demand the removal from power of President Kais Saied, whom they accused of causing a tragic social and economic situation.
The protests began, Friday, after the funeral of a young man who died a month later in a coma from injuries sustained during a police chase.
Thousands of citizens, summoned by opposition parties, flocked to the streets of Tunisia, expressing their rejection of the new electoral law promoted by the government ahead of legislative elections in December.
Eleven years after the dictatorship of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled, those gathered say they are concerned about the authoritarian drift of President Said, who suspended parliament in July last year and took full power.
Protesters blame the government for the food shortage. Even sugar, vegetable oil, rice and even bottled water periodically disappear from the supermarket. People are queuing for hours to get these essential products that have been subsidized for so long and are now only available on rations.
The National Salvation Front, which brings together opposition parties, asserts that with Said, Tunisia will not have a future. In addition, it boycotted the December parliamentary elections with a law restricting the powers of the Legislative Council. (summary with RT and HispanTV)
Andrew Motion is an award-winning English author and poet whose work has significantly influenced modern British literature. Best known for his thoughtful poetry collections and acclaimed biography of poet John Keats, Motion’s writing combines literary sophistication with emotional resonance. His contributions to literature and public engagement with poetry have earned him lasting recognition across the United Kingdom and beyond.