Tunisia: pro-Saied demonstrations held, alongside counter-protest

Hundreds of supporters of President Kais Saied demonstrated in the Tunisian capital Tunis on Thursday, coinciding with the country's Republic Day.

Last week, Saied announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election on October 6, 2024.

The 66-year-old president has ruled by decree since suspending parliament in July 2021.

“Today, July 25th, is a day for Kais Saied. We have come to support him," said Ali Khouja, a 68-year-old retiree from the city of Ariana. "Join us to participate in this march."

Another Kais supporter, Ali, added: "There is no alternative to Kais Saied for the people to choose. We admit he has made some mistakes, that can be corrected, but the important thing is that he is honest and clean, not a thief. Why shouldn't we support him? The Ennahda Movement destroyed the Tunisian people in ten years."

Republic Day celebrates the abolishment of the monarchy in 1957 when Tunisia became a republic.

Counter-protest

Parallel to the demonstrators, families of political prisoners held by Saied's regime gathered to protest and demand the release of their loved ones.

“Today is a sad day, Kais Saied has turned this day into a day of sorrow," said Ezzedine Hazgui, father of one of those imprisoned. "He deprived 12 million Tunisians of celebrating Republic Day today, wanting to rule alone. Even his supporters have been imprisoned."

Families also called for the repeal of Decree 54, under which over 60 journalists, lawyers and opposition figures have been arrested since it came into force in September 2022.

Saied has defended his actions since suspending parliament, saying that they were necessary to root out corruption within the political elite.

Saied has been in power since being elected in 2019.