A growing popular movement in southern Tunisia has captured national attention, galvanizing widespread sympathy across the country’s provinces and expressing itself through various forms of protest.
This wave of near-daily protest culminated in the city of Gabès, located 405 kilometers from the capital, Tunis. Targeting the environmental pollution caused by a controversial chemical industrial complex, the protests escalated into a general strike called by the Regional Branch of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT). The strike was a resounding success, bringing life in the city to a standstill. It saw unprecedented participation from the entire governorate, with massive protest marches flooding the streets under the banner of “The City’s Right to Life,” alongside demands for the right to development and clean air.
The “Gabès Uprising” represents a pivotal event. While rooted in environmental concerns, it carries profound political messages that demand analysis:
1. A Protest Timed with Political Significance
The launch of these popular protests notably coincided with the one-year anniversary of the presidential elections held on October 6 of the previous year, which incumbent President Kais Saied won in a first-round victory with over 90% of the vote. This election was marked by the exclusion and judicial prosecution of all serious competitors, some of whom remain imprisoned to this day.
Furthermore, these protests erupt within a context of deep political, economic, and social crisis. This climate is characterized by the systematic marginalization of political parties and civil society organizations, an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, and a pervasive sense of despair and a blocked political horizon across the nation.
2. The Catalyst: Government Neglect and a Crisis of Governance
The popular protests were ignited by incidents of suffocation among schoolchildren in schools near the chemical complex. This came after repeated, futile appeals to the authorities for a radical solution to the pollution file. The government failed to demonstrate serious commitment, offering only populist or symbolic statements—a role typically expected from the opposition, not the ruling power.
This reveals a vast chasm between the populist rhetoric emanating from the highest levels of power—filled with talk of a “liberation revolution” and development—and the reality of a completely paralyzed executive branch. The government appears incapable of achieving any tangible progress, highlighting a severe and evident crisis in governance.
This governance crisis is starkly illustrated by the presidential system cemented by President Saied, which grants him near-absolute powers. In contrast, the government appears merely ceremonial, a phantom entity that moves only under the president’s shadow. The governments of Kais Saied, by their very nature and structure, seem unable to accomplish anything, as each minister is beholden directly to the president, tasked solely with implementing his policies. These policies are rarely defined; they are neither documented in writing nor articulated as clear programs or plans, but are instead reduced to repetitive populist slogans featured in every presidential address.
This crisis is deepened by governmental instability, with no cabinet lasting more than a year. This constant turnover has rendered successive governments utterly incapable of formulating, let alone implementing, any coherent vision or plan—be it economic, social, or developmental.
3. A Litmus Test for Public Trust
The outbreak and escalation of the protests have confirmed a stark reality in the Tunisian political landscape: profound disappointment and a loss of confidence in the system of Kais Saied.
The regime, which has monopolized power for four years, has established an absolute presidential rule with monarchical powers, cloaked in a superficial constitution and hollow institutions. With a subdued media and fully marginalized parties and organizations, it presented itself as the nation’s savior and a corrective force. Instead, it has demonstrated clear institutional dysfunction, weak management, and a staggering inability to deliver.
This escalating disappointment has left Tunisians increasingly impatient with the troubled present and fearful of an uncertain future. The disillusionment with the government was vividly clear in the stance of Gabès residents, who are so determined to remove the existential threat posed by the chemical complex that they are willing to sacrifice the hundreds of jobs it provides. Their demand for the complex’s dismantling, rather than its reform, reflects a deep-seated belief that the government is neither capable nor willing to genuinely address and contain the dangers it poses.
4. A Prelude to a Potentially Volatile Political Year
The protests mark the beginning of a new political and social year. Historically, this period in Tunisia is defined by a tradition of popular protests, primarily social and broadly political, which typically send clear messages to the ruling system about inflation, social justice, and political reforms.
These are demands that the government is expected to understand and integrate into its vision and program. The failure to respond to these concerns has often led to an accumulation of protests, escalating into a broader movement that typically peaks in January—a month etched in Tunisian memory for popular uprisings.
Therefore, given the ongoing mobilization in Gabès and the country’s dire economic and social conditions, coupled with an unprecedented political lockdown, the government’s continued ignorance or inadequate response will prove costly. It risks igniting widespread protests, especially as the 15th anniversary of the Tunisian Revolution’s outbreak on December 17 approaches.
5. The Vital Role of Civil Society
The Regional Council of the UGTT’s adoption of the Gabès residents’ demands and its call for a highly successful general strike sent a powerful political message.
The regional executive bureau’s stance demonstrates how civil society organizations can take the correct position and play their fundamental role: to stand with the community, adopt its legitimate demands, and defend them. The true credibility of any organization is derived from this combative role, establishing it as a bulwark for society against state violence and overreach, and as a mediator between the people and the authorities.
The “Gabès Uprising” has shown the critical need for civil society forces, chief among them the UGTT, to structure protests and strip the authority of any pretext to repress demonstrators under the guise of preventing chaos or violence.
6. The Perils of Marginalizing Mediating Institutions
The uprising sent a clear message to the authorities: the policy of eliminating and sidelining civil society forces—including political parties and organizations—carries imminent dangers for the country and civil peace.
Beyond completely undermining the democratic process and eliminating pluralism, the absence of these political and social forces creates a vacuum that can lead to societal chaos and disorder. In a context of worsening socio-economic conditions, where protest movements are always expected, the lack of structured organizations to guide and frame these movements increases the likelihood of them turning violent or chaotic—a situation the authorities are not always equipped to manage wisely or control effectively.
Political parties and civil society organizations act as a crucial fortress for society. They serve as mediators between the people and a governing system that tends toward authoritarianism, while also providing guidance and direction for public sentiment. These entities fulfill roles that the state neglects, including certain developmental functions, and which security apparatuses at all levels are incapable of performing.
The continued marginalization of these forces by the Saied regime deprives the country of significant benefits and portends a state of disorder with severe consequences for the nation and its people.
7. A System Paralyzed by Absolute Power
The current landscape in Tunisia points to a state of anxiety and frustration, driven not only by deteriorating political and social conditions but also by the palpable inability of the governance system under Kais Saied to rationally manage public affairs.
Daily realities confirm that the government is in a state of complete paralysis, a direct result of the absolute power and hyper-centralization of decision-making in the hands of the president. The government team is left with no margin for initiative or independent decision-making.
The absence of any meaningful achievements at both central and local levels underscores this governmental paralysis. This is compounded by a catastrophic communications failure from the ruling system, which broadcasts no positive messages to the public and lacks clarity in its objectives or direction. Internally, this has fostered anxiety, frustration, and fear of the future, while externally, it has resulted in an unprecedented diplomatic retreat.
Conclusion: A Final Warning
The “Gabès Uprising” against pollution is a clear indicator that the Tunisian public has run out of patience with official populist rhetoric and the disregard for their genuine demands. The opportunity granted to Kais Saied’s system was not a blank check; it was a chance that the current authority has proven incapable of seizing.
Even the president’s absolute, “pharaonic” powers have become a cause of failure and inaction, acting as an obstacle for a government team that feels it has no real tasks, authority, or mandate to plan and execute initiatives.
The striking reality today is that the authority’s drive to paralyze political forces and civil society, removing them from the public sphere and concentrating all power in the president’s hands, has boomeranged negatively on the government’s own work. The result is a vision, program, and communication strategy that are all utterly paralyzed.
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If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our journalism and sustains our future. Support the Dawat Media Center from as little as $/€10 – it only takes a minute. If you can, please consider supporting us with a regular amount each month. Thank you
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