[REVISION HISTORY]

Tunisia under Saied: protests intensify amid utility crisis

Updated 9 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-05 21:47 UTC → 2026-09-09 17:53 UTC · added ~~removed~~

President Kais Saied’s 2021 constitutional takeover entrenched presidential power, persisting after his 2024 re-election. This model of personalized rule, which limits parliamentary and judicial checks, has faced intense scrutiny as a severe heatwave and infrastructure failures exacerbate the political crisis. On the five-year anniversary of Saied’s July 25, 2026, emergency decree, thousands marched through Tunis. Organized by the Nafas movement and a coalition including Ennahdha, demonstrators chanted slogans such as “the people want the fall of the regime” and “freedom, work, national dignity.” Opposition spokesperson Wissam Sghaier called for Saied’s resignation and the release of political prisoners, characterizing the emergency measures as a reversal of Tunisia’s democratic transition. By August, the crisis deepened as temperatures near 50°C triggered grid failures and prolonged blackouts. These outages caused hospitals to lose oxygen supplies, leading to patient deaths, and disrupted water distribution. State-owned utility STEG implemented electricity rationing, which subsequently impacted water pumping stations and caused widespread shortages of drinking water. Amidst wildfires that burned roughly 4,400 hectares, protests surged. Demonstrators faced counter-protests and a widening media crackdown. Human Rights Watch described a growing “human-rights crisis,” noting that criticism of the government is no longer tolerated. Recent unrest has seen increased participation from younger citizens and social media influencers, driven by rising living costs, unemployment, and chronic shortages of essential medicines. By In early September, the Nafas Movement organized protests ~~continued~~ near the El Menzah ~~stadium, organized by the Nafas Movement. Demonstrators denounced~~ stadium to denounce worsening utility services and the restriction of civil liberties. The state-owned Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company attributed electricity outages to load shedding to manage demand. Tensions rose following the arrest of Mohamed Yousfi, editor-in-chief of Al-Katiba, on charges of illicit enrichment and money laundering, as journalists reported increasing pressure on media ~~professionals and human rights defenders.~~ professionals.

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