Tunisia’s financial crisis leaves the sick struggling to find medicine
Tunis, TunisiaReuters Sick Tunisians face a frantic struggle to find some medicines because the cash-strapped state has reduced imports, leaving doctors unable to control debilitating health problems and patients turning to informal markets for their medication. Hundreds of medicines have been missing for months, pharmacies say, including important treatments for heart disease, cancer and diabetes […]
Tunisian police detain Ennahda leader Ghannouchi, evacuate party headquarters
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters Tunisian police on Monday detained Ennahda party leader Rached Ghannouchi, the most prominent critic of President Kais Saied, his party said, a move marking an escalation of a campaign of arrests that has targeted many high-profile opponents of Saied. Hours after Ghannouchi’s arrest, police raided the party headquarters and evacuated all […]
Five African migrants die, 28 missing after boat sinks off Tunisia
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters At least five African migrants died and another 28 were missing after a boat sank off Tunisia, as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to Italy, an official of a local rights group said. Romadan Ben Omar, the official in the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights, said that coast guard […]
African migrants suffer under crackdown in Tunisia
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters Since Tunisia’s President announced a crackdown on illegal immigration last month using language the African Union denounced as racialised, Malian construction worker Mohamed Kony has been evicted from his apartment and sacked from his job. Unemployed, homeless and without legal residency, he now fears he will face the fate of several of […]
Tunisia detains more dissidents amid growing crackdown
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters Tunisian police detained two prominent dissidents and surrounded the home of a third on Wednesday, part of an escalating crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied, who has labelled his opponents traitors and criminals. The arrests, along with others this month, have targeted some of Saied’s most important critics along with other […]
Tunisian election had only 8.8 per cent turnout, officials say
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters Only 8.8 per cent of Tunisian voters cast ballots in Saturday’s parliamentary elections, authorities announced, after most political parties boycotted the vote as a charade aimed at shoring up presidential power. The provisional turnout figure is lower than the 9.8 per cent inflation rate – underscoring the economic pressures that have left […]
Essay: Tunisia’s once-vibrant democracy is on its deathbed – but it can be saved
JOSÉ IGNACIO HERNANDÉZ G, a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, looks at Tunisia’s slide into authoritarianism…
Tunisians protest against poverty, high prices and food shortages
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters Hundreds of Tunisians protested on Sunday night in the capital against poverty, high prices and the shortage of some foodstuff, escalating pressure on the government of President Kais Saied, as the country suffers an economic and political crisis. Tunisia is struggling to revive its public finances as discontent grows over inflation running […]
Tunisians back new constitution but turnout just 25 per cent, exit poll says
Tunis, TunisiaReuters Voters in a referendum in Tunisia on Monday overwhelmingly backed a new constitution giving President Kais Saied nearly total powers but with only a quarter of eligible voters participating, an exit poll said, amid a boycott by opposition parties. The poll by Sigma Conseil said 92.3 per cent of voters in the referendum […]
Tunisians vote on constitution expanding President’s power
Tunis, Tunisia Reuters Tunisians vote on Monday in a referendum on a new constitution that critics of President Kais Saied fear will maul the democracy that emerged from a 2011 revolution by handing him nearly total power. The vote is being held on the anniversary of Saied’s sudden move against the elected parliament when he […]