Since Tunisia’s Saied seized control, the country’s economic situation continues to deteriorate

This month marks two years since Tunisian President Kais Saied, in an effort to consolidate his grip on power, issued Decree 117. The decree came two months after he dismissed the prime minister and suspended parliament. It gave him the authority to rule by decree, bypassing the legislative branch entirely, and gave him wide-ranging control over various sectors, including the judiciary, media, and human rights, essentially allowing him to govern without any checks or balances.

The move was condemned at home and abroad as a blow to democracy, even though some initially welcomed it as a way of exiting the country’s political gridlock.

The past two years have witnessed a marked decline in the country’s economy, accompanied by the growth of anti-government opposition.

During the Tunisian Revolution of 2010-2011, a popular uprising against corruption and repression led to the initiation of democracy and the establishment of a constitution in 2014. In 2021, Saied dismissed the government and suspended parliament, ruling by decree until a new 2022 constitution concentrated power in the president’s hands. Saied’s government has become increasingly authoritarian ever since.

“The Tunisian economic situation today is worse than in the period preceding Saied’s takeover,” said Francesco Sassi, a researcher at Ricerche Industriali ed Energetiche, an Italian think tank. Essential medicines have grown scarce, and the price of some everyday groceries has soared, while others have become unavailable. READ MORE