In Tunisia, thousands of people demonstrated against the authoritarian drift of President Kais Saied

“Freedom…Freedom overthrows the police state”And “Stop poverty” : Thousands of people marched in Tunis on Saturday (March 4th) in response to the call of the Tunisian General Labor Union, the UGTT, which President Kais Saied called for its acceptance. “dialogue”.

The UGTT president denounced on stage about two dozen recent arrests of opponents of the head of state – including leaders of the main anti-Said coalition – and trade unionists for staging a highway toll strike. We will never accept these detention practices.Noureddine Taboubi was fired, in front of more than 3,000 people who gathered in the Tunisian capital, according to journalists from Agence France-Presse (AFP).

“We fight back to defend our trade union rights and are united like the five fingers of a hand”Al-Taboubi, which has a central membership of nearly a million members and is the focus of the national dialogue in Tunisia, emphasized Mr. Taboubi.

The Tunisian General Labor Union, which is very influential on the political scene, has been in confrontation with Mr. Said since the arrest of a union official on January 31 following the president’s speech denouncing the use of the right to strike as a tool. “for political purposes”.

The 2015 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, on behalf of President Saied, denounced the organization’s chairman, “Settlement Scores and Notes that Divide Society”.. And to add: We have made an initiative [de réformes] with others as if we had committed a crime.” He also appealed to the Tunisian president “for peaceful and democratic changes”.

Tunisia owes 80% of its GDP

The head of the powerful union also criticized the negotiations between the government and the International Monetary Fund, stressing that the UGTT is not. “Informed in detail of the proposals” From Tunisia. Tunisia, which is heavily indebted at 80% of its GDP due to the weight of the civil service (more than 650,000 employees), is negotiating about $2 billion in International Monetary Fund assistance, but talks have dragged on since mid-October.

Many protesters waved chopsticks or empty baskets to denounce inflation exceeding 10% per month and intermittent shortages of basic foodstuffs (milk, coffee, sugar and oil). Again, al-Taboubi rejected the idea outright “raising subsidies” For basic products (fuel and food), a counterpart to grant assistance by the International Monetary Fund.

He also defended the trade union leader ” Rights ” immigrants. “Tunisia is a country of tolerance and no racism”In his words, after the attacks that took place in Tunisia against citizens of sub-Saharan Africa after Mr. Said’s speech against illegal immigration.