Five years after Saied’s power grab, Tunisia’s old grievances resurface

Five years have passed since President Kais Saied suspended parliament and assumed sweeping powers, promising to break with the traditional political establishment that had failed Tunisians for decades. However, as the country grapples with severe water shortages, electricity outages, rising prices, and medicine shortages, it is clear that those promises remain largely unfulfilled.

The frustration on display in Tunisia today is not new; it’s a more desperate iteration of old grievances. The slogan “employment, freedom, and national dignity” – a rallying cry from the 2011 revolution – has returned to haunt Saied’s government. This time around, the discontent is fueled by tangible struggles: families going without running water for days on end, businesses struggling to stay afloat due to rotating power cuts.

Many Tunisians are now willing to take extreme risks, including attempting to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe, in search of a better life. Rebh, a 40-year-old cleaner from Tunis, encapsulates the desperation: “We want to live as humans. We are feeling dead while we’re still alive.” Her words speak to a broader crisis that transcends mere economic woes; they point to a collapse of faith in governance.

Critics argue that Saied’s actions have only served to concentrate power and limit the space for dissent, eroding institutional checks on presidential authority. Opposition figures, journalists, lawyers, and activists face prosecution in cases deemed by human rights groups as politically motivated. The “conspiracy case” – a dubious trial that handed down prison sentences ranging from four to 66 years to 37 defendants – is a stark example of this trend.

Human Rights Watch has repeatedly condemned the proceedings for failing to provide adequate due-process protections, describing it as part of a broader crackdown on dissent. By conflating his own record with the failures of the past, Saied has managed to obscure his administration’s performance. The fact remains that many of these problems predate Saied, but it is his job as president to address them.

The heat wave this summer pushed electricity demand to record levels, forcing rotating power cuts and exacerbating bottled water shortages. For families struggling to make ends meet – and for a country where youth unemployment stands at over 17% – the struggle is not about luxuries but basic necessities.

Tunisia’s economic woes are not unique in the region; many countries face similar challenges. However, what sets Tunisia apart is its history as an inspiration to Arab Spring movements, and Saied’s failure to translate his promise into action speaks volumes about the state of governance in North Africa today.

The continued slide towards instability unless drastic measures are taken to address the grievances of its people raises questions about the durability of democracy in countries that have undergone similar transformations. It also highlights whether promises of reform can be kept without sacrificing individual freedoms. In the end, Saied’s leadership will be judged not by his lofty rhetoric but by the tangible impact he has had on Tunisians’ lives.