Tunisia

12 October 2022; MEMO: Tunisia's Soumoud Coalition has said in an official statement that it no longer supports President Kais Saied's 25 July movement and called for boycotting December's legislative elections.

The coalition comprises a group of academics and experts who initially supported Saied's controversial move on 25 July 2021 when he dismissed the government and froze the parliament.

8 October 2022; MEMO: Tunisia's Ennahda movement has renewed calls for rallying efforts to confront what it termed "coup" in the North African country, Anadolu reports.

"The existing authority headed by [President] Kais Saied is responsible for spoiling political life and turning the economic crisis into a catastrophe that threatens the people's livelihood," the movement said in a statement.

4 October 2022; MEMO: Tunisia's powerful UGTT Labour Union has no deal with the government on reforming subsidies and publicly owned companies and will lead street protests over any "painful" changes, it said on Monday, potentially complicating foreign bailout talks, Reuters reports.

The government is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a rescue package that could unlock further bilateral aid for Tunisia to help it avert a looming crisis in public finances.

TUNIS, Oct 2 (NNN-TAP) — Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Othman Jerandi said Tunisia is fully ready to host the Summit of the Francophonie and it will bring together all the means, logistical materials and content to ensure the success of this event.

He expressed the hope that the Tunisia Summit, which coincides with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Francophonie, would be a turning point for Francophone cooperation.

2 October 2022; MEMO: Tunisian police have used excessive force against teachers who protested on Thursday in front of the Ministry of Education, demanding authorities provide them with permanent jobs.

According to the National Coordination of Representatives, the teachers were forced to end their protest after being subjected to "all forms of violence".

30 Sep 2022; MEMO: Central Bank of Tunisia data showed yesterday that the Tunisian dinar fell to a record low against the US dollar, causing concerns about a possible decline in foreign exchange reserves and rise in inflation, Reuters reports.

The annual inflation rate in Tunisia increased to 8.6 per cent in August, the highest level in nearly three decades.

The central bank said on Wednesday the dinar was trading at 3.309 dinars for the dollar, down by 17.5 per cent from its level a year ago.

27 Sep 2022; MEMO: Former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki warned yesterday of a new "Egyptian scenario" with the "deep state preparing to oust President Kais Saied and replace him with someone worse."

24 Sep 2022; MEMO: The Tunisian Workers' Party announced on Friday that Laws No. 54 and 55 are "fascist and are a serious threat" to the people's aspirations for freedom and democracy.

The party stated that the two laws "do not have any legitimacy" because they are based on an "illegal Constitution".

23 Sep 2022; MEMO: Riadh Chaibi, the adviser to the president of Ennahda Movement and a leader in the opposition National Salvation Front said that the movement is innocent of the "dispatch" case, noting that the purpose of raising this case is an attempt to defame the movement. He also confirmed that Tunisia is on the brink of a "social explosion" that could topple the existing authority and cause widespread turmoil in the country.

23 Sep 2022; MEMO: The Afek Tounes Party announced, on Thursday, its intention to boycott the early legislative elections on 17th December.

By so doing, Afeq Tounes becomes the eleventh party to announce its boycott of the elections after Ennahda, Heart of Tunisia, Dignity Coalition, Movement Party, Al Amal, the Republican Party, Workers' Party, Democratic Modernist Pole, Democratic Current, and the Democratic Forum for Labour and Liberties.