Young Tunisians disillusioned by economy, pace of change

The day after Tunisia’s third election since the Arab Spring, business went on as usual and there were no signs that an election had taken place.

Campaigning and debates were almost absent in the lead-up to Sunday’s vote.

In the downtown Ariana neighborhood of Greater Tunis, young men spent their day at outdoor cafes.

One of them, 32-year-old freelance filmmaker Amri Sofien, expressed his frustration with Tunisia’s economic prospects for young people.

He said that he counts himself as part of a large group of young Tunisians who did not vote in the election.

Kais Saied’s rule, he says, reminds him of Tunisia under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was widely regarded as a dictator and deposed in the 2011 Arab Spring.

"I was talking to my friends, after we heard that Kais Saied won with 85% or 89%, we said it’s possible that after 20 years, our kids will be protesting on Habib Bourguiba Avenue to tell him to get out," he said.

He said he isn’t surprised that young Tunisians don’t want to vote.

"There is no hope in this country," he added.

He said if young people had a future to work towards, they would be more willing to stay in the country rather than making the treacherous journey to Europe.

"Hope is a candle that lights up your life even if you have nothing. Even if you don’t have money or work, if you have hope, you can live," he said.

Turnout in this year’s election was less than 30%, according to numbers released by Tunisia’s election authority.

Hundreds marched in central Tunis on Friday to protest Saied’s rule, accusing him of being a dictator.

Young people present at the protest told the AP that they would not be voting in the election.

Saied does have supporters, however, who see him as different from career politicians and willing to do the work necessary to free Tunisia from foreign influence.

On Habib Bourguiba Avenue before a pro-Palestine march meant to mark one year of the Isreal-Hamas conflict, Ismahan Zaghdoudi stood with fellow demonstrators waving a Palestinian flag.

She said she supports Saied. Of his critics, who have accused him of authoritarian rule, she said "They don’t want to let him do his job. All Tunisians know this. As for me, I’m optimistic for a good future."