ASSESSMENTS

Tunisia's Authoritarian Slide Under President Saied Looks Set to Continue

Jun 7, 2024 | 19:59 GMT

Supporters of Tunisian President Kais Saied participate in a rally rejecting foreign interference in the country's internal affairs in Tunis, Tunisia, on May 19, 2024.
Supporters of Tunisian President Kais Saied participate in a rally rejecting foreign interference in the country's internal affairs in Tunis, Tunisia, on May 19, 2024.

(FETHI BELAID/AFP via Getty Images)

After his likely reelection in late 2024, Tunisian President Kais Saied will probably seek to extend his tenure via constitutional reforms and potentially limit foreign funding for parts of civil society, but he will remain constrained by Tunisia's strong labor unions and fears of stoking nationwide unrest. In the past several weeks, Tunisian authorities have arrested around a dozen journalists and lawyers, many critical of President Saied and the Tunisian government. This has resulted in several protests, as well as one-day strikes by lawyers in solidarity with their detained colleagues. Furthermore, Saied has been implementing changes to Tunisia's government, including a partial cabinet reshuffle on May 25 where he replaced the interior minister and social affairs minister, and established a new position of secretary of state overseeing national security under the interior minister. These events come as Tunisia is gearing up for presidential elections, which are expected to be held...

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