Who is protesting?
Tunisians from different backgrounds are taking to the streets, though most are young. They include large numbers of students and the unemployed, many in towns that are in the neglected interior of Tunisia, away from the wealthier coastal areas.
Why are they protesting?
In the short term, demonstrators are angry at price and tax rises, imposed by the government to cut a soaring deficit and meet demands of international lenders. But protests are also fuelled by the lack of major economic improvement since the ousting in 2011 of the autocrat Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. There is also widespread disillusionment with Tunisia’s political elite. One main protest group – Fesh Nestannew? (What Are We Waiting For?) – wants a return to the spirit of the 2011 revolt, demanding “employment, freedom, and national dignity”.
What are the authorities doing about it?
So far the response from politicians and officials has been to deploy thousands of police and even soldiers in some towns. There has been little attempt to engage with the grievances of the protesters and much effort to portray them as criminals. More than 300 arrests have been made. Hazem Chikhaoui, a 22-year-old student representative in Tunis, said the security forces were “aiming to terrorise and silence protesters through systematic violence”.
What happens now?
The protests are likely to intensify over the weekend. The government may try to tough it out, but analysts say some concessions are likely to prevent the crisis getting out of hand. Some of the more unpopular price rises may be suspended, which might be enough to defuse discontent – for the moment.
