Two rival Tunisian Opposition groups staged one of the biggest days of protest so far against President Kais Saied on Saturday, denouncing his moves to consolidate political power as public anger grows over fuel and food shortages.
Thousands of supporters from the Islamist Ennahda party and the Free Constitutional Party held parallel rallies in adjacent areas of the capital, Tunis, accusing Saied of economic mismanagement and of an anti-democratic coup.
“Tunisia is bleeding. Saied is a failed dictator. He has set us back for many years. The game’s over. Get out,” said protester Henda Ben Ali.
Saied, who moved to rule by decree after shutting down parliament last year and expanding his powers with a new Constitution passed in a July referendum, has said the measures were needed to save Tunisia from years of crisis.
In a speech on Saturday to mark the departure of French troops upon Tunisia’s 1956 independence, he demanded the departure today of “all who want to undermine independence”. Saied’s opponents say his actions have undermined the democracy secured through a 2011 revolution that ousted Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and triggered the Arab spring.
