First Independent Mena Newspaper
As Tunisia braces for presidential elections in December 2024, a fog of repression looms over the country that was once the Arab Spring’s success story before it backpedaled to autocracy under a president intent on staying in power. President Kais Saied destroyed the democracy ladder that brought him to power starting a gradual power grab […]
The EU plans an aid of up to €164.5 over three years to help Tunisia stop migrants from crossing to Europe, the Financial Times reported. The EU funding will be invested in a training academy for the country’s national maritime guard, implemented with German federal police, it said. The funds will also help equip the […]
Tunisian authorities closed the Ras Jdir border crossing after armed clashes occurred there between rival Libyan factions. Videos shared on social media showed gunfire and a torched car in the Libyan side of the crossing. The armed violence occurred between the Interior Ministry’s Zuwara Military Chamber task force and armed militias, injuring several security force […]
Senior members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have accused the EU executive of “bankrolling dictators”, claiming that the €150 million it gave to Tunisia last year in a migration and development deal went straight to the country’s president, Kais Saied. The group of MEPs on the human rights, justice and foreign affairs committees at the […]
Once a month of joy and celebration, Ramadan this year has put the finances of ordinary Tunisians on strain as inflation bites, coupled with a shortage of basic goods and rampant unemployment. Tunisia’s February inflation was at 7.5% with prices set to further surge due to the high demand on foodstuff, particularly during the fasting […]
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani seems to have made a trip to Paris specifically to protest against a French documentary that exposed Tunisia’s worsening poverty and dictatorship under the rule of Kais Saied. Speaking at a presser with his French Peer Attali, Hachani ranted at the documentary describing it as “an unfriendly act by our […]
After destroying the initial five-state Maghreb Union, Algeria has brought together cash-strapped Tunisia and war-torn Libya in a bid to create a new regional union. Mauritania has faced pressure to join the threesome of authoritarian regimes facing bleak economic and social stability prospects. As it continues to pedal towards autocracy, Tunisia under President Kais Saied […]
Amid its worst drought in decades, Tunisian authorities announced a 16% hike in water prices, a move that may further erode the already frail social peace foundations. The government has proceeded to water cuts and rationing in addition to a ban of irrigation in some main farming areas, further undermining the revenue of already impoverished […]
At least 1313 died in the risky Mediterranean crossing from Tunisian coasts to Italy last year, Tunisia’s Forum for Economic and Social Rights said. The number highlights that the country has overtaken Libya as the main crossing point to Europe, as the number of disenchanted Tunisians ready to take the risky route is on the […]
Economists warned Tunisia could plunge into an inflationary spiral if the central bank accepts direct financing of the state budget. Inflation was already at 8.1% in December and is expected to further raise and take a monetary character if the central bank accepts direct funding of the government. Tunisia’s president Kais Saied has asked for […]