Tunisia - Tunisians hold largest protest in years against Saied

Thousands of Tunisians took part in the largest protest against President Kais Saied in years on Saturday, accusing him of weakening democracy and mishandling the economy as opposition to his rule grows.
The demonstration, ‌led by the powerful UGTT labour union and civil society groups, comes as Tunisia grapples with an economic crisis, worsening public services, recurring water and power cuts, and ​shortages of medicines and essential goods, Reuters reported.
In 2021, Saied seized broad powers, ​dissolved parliament, dismissed dozens of judges and began ruling by ⁠decree, moves opponents described as a coup.
Rights groups say he has intensified ​a crackdown on civil society, journalists and opposition figures. Saied rejects those allegations, ​saying he is not a dictator, and has accused his opponents of engineering economic crises to fuel social unrest.
In a rare show of unity, opposition parties from across the ​political spectrum joined lawyers, doctors, journalists, unemployed people and civil society groups in ​marching along Habib Bourguiba Avenue, a focal point of the 2011 protests that helped ‌trigger the ⁠Arab Spring uprisings.
The protest poses a significant challenge to Saied after years of divisions weakened the opposition's ability to mobilise large crowds.
Hundreds of police were deployed across the capital.
Protesters chanted: "No fear, power belongs to the people" and "Prisons ​are full, people ​are hungry".
They called ⁠for the release of Saied's critics and demanded an end to what they described as attacks on trade union rights. ​Others carried banners expressing frustration over unemployment and pollution.
"Enough is enough! ​The ⁠country is collapsing. We suffer from power and water cuts, and one crisis after another", said Yassine Gharseli, a protester from Sfax, about 250 km (155 miles) ⁠south of ​Tunis.
"I came from Sfax to stand up ​for my freedom and I'm not ready to give up, even if I become the last ​voice in the country," he added.
News.Az