Tunisian President’s unrelenting crackdown on opponents as economy crumbles

Tunisia’s president Kais Saied has put Tunisia on a track of autocracy taking power-grab decisions and measures to quell dissent, the latest of which was a travel ban on a long list of opposition figures he accused of “conspiring against the state.”

A list of 25 political figures and former officials critical of Saied are now banned from leaving Tunisia pending an investigation.

As he continues to muzzle the media and crack down on the opposition, the president put forward a new constitution to legitimize his power-grab. Those who voted yes represented 94.6% of all voters, though turnout stands at a mere 30%, an indicator used by the opposition to decry the illegitimacy of the constitutional vote.

Meanwhile, the president’s quest for an IMF lifeline of $4 billion has been met with backlash from the powerful labor unions, notably UGTT.

The IMF imposed conditions, including subsidies cut and reducing the public payroll, measures that are fiercely opposed by the labor unions and the opposition.

Without a deal with the IMF, Tunisia will find it extremely hard to access funding in the international market. The IMF plays the role of a central bank for other international lenders and serves as a barometer of the sovereign financial health of its borrowers.

Now, Tunisia is among the three countries with the highest default risk further complicating Tunisia’s financial prospects.

With such a dim outlook, the Tunisians look at the hazardous Mediterranean route to migrate as their only salvation.

“We have estimates of around 9,000 people trying to leave Tunisia by boats this year,” Msallem of the Tunisian Human Rights League said.

Covid 19 and a drop in tourism revenue together with inflation has further worsened unemployment in Tunisia which stands at 18%.