In Tunisia, thousands of demonstrators march against their leaders

Published on : 07/25/2021 – 19:05

Several thousand Tunisians demonstrated on Sunday July 25 against their leaders, in particular against the main parliamentary party Ennahdha, while the country is caught between a deadly epidemic peak and power struggles at the top of the state.

In Tunis, despite the numerous police roadblocks at the entrances to the capital and in the city center, several hundred people, many of them young people, gathered in front of the Parliament.

They notably shouted slogans hostile to the Islamist-inspired formation Ennahdha and to the Prime Minister it supports, Hichem Mechichi, chanting “the people want the dissolution of Parliament”.

Several protesters were arrested and a journalist injured when demonstrators and police began to exchange stone throws and tear gas, before the police dispersed the rally, AFP reported.

One of the worst death rates in the world

In Tozeur, a southern region particularly affected by the Covid, and confined until August 8, young protesters vandalized a local Ennahdha, according to videos posted by local media. A party symbol was also targeted in Kairouan (center).

Despite a strong police mobilization, demonstrators also marched in Gafsa (center), Monastir and Sousse (east), according to AFP correspondents.

Public opinion is exasperated by the bickering between parties in Parliament, and by the standoff between the leader of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi, also leader of Ennahdha, and President Kaïs Saïed, who paralyzes decisions.

She also denounces the government’s lack of anticipation in the face of the health crisis, leaving Tunisia short of oxygen. With almost 18,000 deaths for 12 million inhabitants, the country has one of the worst death rates in the world.

Calls to demonstrate on July 25, the feast of the Republic, had been circulating for several days on Facebook, from unidentified groups.

They demanded, among other things, a change in the Constitution and a transitional period leaving a large place for the army, while maintaining President Saïed at the head of state.

“We hesitate to go and demonstrate, but the objectives are not clear,” said Aymen, a young Tunisian. “For this to be effective, we need steps, a plan: shouting our anger without another plan is useless, and it is even dangerous in the midst of Covid”, he believes.

With AFP