Tunisia: anger after a speech by Kaïs Saïed who promises to fight against his detractors

Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed, here at the United States-Africa Summit, in Washington, December 14, 2022. © Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images via AFP

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2 mins

After the speech given by the Tunisian president on the evening of December 28, astonishment and weariness seem to dominate in Tunisia.

In a vehement outing, Kaïs Saïed harshly attacked the personalities who took a stand against him: accused of working against the interests of the country, they are threatened with half-words of reprisals.

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With our correspondent in Tunis,

Amira Souilem

Thursday, all day, the Tunisian media tried to decipher the speech given by Kaïs Saïed Wednesday evening.

At the microphone of Shems FM, the deputy secretary-general of

the UGTT, the country's main union

, expressed his weariness:

“ 

We would like the official word in Tunisia to be done with more calm and wisdom, especially since our country is experiencing very difficult conditions on several levels: health, transport, education, shortages of medicines, milk,

said Samir Cheffi.

No need to add another layer.

 A clear allusion to Kaïs Saïed's speech the day before.

More than 20 minutes of indictment without naming its defendants

In the presence of several silent ministers, the Tunisian president delivered an indictment against his opponents for more than 20 minutes.

In his sights in particular: the media which, according to him, worsen the situation in the country.

Called " 

traitors

 ", elements working in the pay of foreigners and seeking to harm the nation, without mentioning them by name, the Master of Carthage hinted that measures would be taken against those who, in his eyes, were plotting against the interests of the country.

He accused them pell-mell of being responsible for the shortages of raw materials, the sinking of a migrant boat off Zarzis last September or even acts of corruption.

A derisive intervention

This vehement intervention earned him immediate criticism and derision on social networks by members of civil society, as well as observers of Tunisian political life.

Some saw in this outing a speech that looked like improvised crisis communication, others even going so far as to evoke an atmosphere of the end of the reign in Carthage.

While the

first round of the legislative elections attracted less than 12

% of voters

, the president of the Tunisian journalists' union Yassine Jelassi believes that the Master of Carthage is trying to create a diversion:

He's going out to threaten us like that

?"

Shouldn't he rather get down to finding solutions to the country's daily problems

?

He should do this instead of attacking the unions, the UGTT, the media or even human rights NGOs.

 »

Strike notices have already been filed for next January: the

showdown

is likely to continue.

► 

To read also:

Tunisia: new political crisis on the horizon?

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