Tunisia’s Saied Crisis and Ministerial Roles

Tensions in Tunisia are reaching fever pitch level following the chronic lack of confidence in the political system which manifested itself with a second low voter turnout poll, followed by calls for Tunisian president to stand down as a war with unions now appears to be in full swing.

For the moment, Tunisian President Kais Saied is putting a brave face on it.

On January 31^st, he swore in new education and agriculture ministers, politically sensitive posts in the crisis-hit country that saw record low turnout at weekend elections.

The day before he sacked the former ministers, Fethi Sellaouti and Elyes Hamza respectively, a day after Tunisia’s second-round vote for its neutered parliament saw just 11.4 per cent of registered voters take part, although he insisted that the low voter turnout was due to the masses hating the parliament itself.

READ Sami Hamdi: Saied ramps up crackdown. But time is against him

Analysts in Tunis said through the appointment of the new education minister, Saied signalled an intent to stand up to the main trade union (UGTT) as the new minister is a chemistry Ph.D scholar and is seen as a dissident unionist who is opposed to  current UGTT chief Noureddine Taboubi.

The leaders of the powerful Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) will convene on February 3rd to draft a response to the country’s president and to “respond to the systematic targeting of the workers’ organisation”, Assistant Secretary General Hfaiedh Hfaiedh told state press agency TAP.

The meeting will bring together the union’s administrative authority, the highest decision-making body that sets policy for the body able to mobilise many of its million members and holds significant power within the country.

“The Tunisian presidency is targeting the union [while] the union has called for a national dialogue [but] the authority declared war,” Mr Hfaiedh said in a statement published on social media.

The union boss’ statement and declaration come after President Kais Saied accused certain members of abusing their position to call strikes and mobilise chapters to further political aims and settle scores – which led to Saied ordering the arrest of one of its members on February 1st, according to Bloomberg.

“Union members’ rights are guaranteed by the constitution but it cannot turn into a cover of political aims that are no longer hidden from anyone,” Mr Saied said during an unannounced visit to L’Aouina military base in Tunis where he met with high-ranking security officials.

“Those who block roads and railways or threaten to do so under false pretences cannot remain outside the circle of accountability,” he added.

Meanwhile the two government posts hope to serve as a band aid to Saied’s efforts to keep control.

The education sector is plagued by chronic strikes and work stoppages as teachers often protest what they consider low wages and inadequate working conditions.

Analysts see in the choice of Belati, the new minister, a decorated air force general, a likely intent to tackle food and water security issues as a priority in the coming period.

The ministry of agriculture is in charge of hydraulic resources.

With low rainfall levels and mismanagement of water resources, “Tunisia is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world,” according to the World Bank.

Many of the agriculture production chains, including dairy production, have been disrupted in recent months, compounding food shortages sparked by the difficulties facing imports due to the Ukraine war and the state’s financial problems.

Arab Weekly/The National/Agencies