Tunisia marks fifth anniversary of Saied's emergency powers amid deadly energy crisis

Five years after President Kais Saied suspended parliament and assumed emergency powers, Tunisia is marking the anniversary of 25 July 2021 amid its worst infrastructure crisis in memory. An exceptional heatwave and severe water shortages have triggered widespread power cuts, with the Organisation of Young Doctors in Tunisia reporting 150 to 200 deaths since the outages began. The Tunisian authorities have not confirmed those figures. Local media reported at least five deaths directly linked to power failures in the crisis's opening days, including a cancer patient whose oxygen device stopped working.

President Saied ended his public absence on Saturday to acknowledge the crisis, describing the pace of outages as "not normal" and saying those responsible must "assume their responsibility," without announcing specific measures. The state electricity and gas company, STEG, attributed the outages to record demand driven by what its director general Faysal Tarifa described as "excessive use of air conditioning," noting national consumption hit a record 6,000 megawatts on Tuesday. Tarifa said the controlled outages were a "preventive measure" to protect the national grid and urged citizens to use no more than one air conditioning unit during peak hours from 1 pm to 5 pm.

The date has long held significance in Tunisia's national calendar – it was the day the republic was proclaimed in 1957. Since 2021, it has split the country into two camps: those who see it as a moment that rescued the state from paralysis, and those who call it a coup against the constitution and elected institutions. That evening, Saied invoked Article 80 of the 2014 constitution to announce exceptional measures: parliament's powers were frozen for 30 days, the immunity of its members suspended, Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi dismissed, and Saied assumed executive authority. The public prosecution service was placed under his direct supervision.

These decisions set in motion a political restructuring that culminated in 2022 in a new constitution establishing a presidential system. The 2022 constitution gave Saied considerably broader powers than the 2014 text, assigning the president primary responsibility for setting state policy and narrowing parliament's role substantially. The document was approved in a referendum on 25 July 2022, but turnout was far lower than previous elections after most opposition parties boycotted. Between the emergency declaration and the new constitution, Saied governed by decree, stripped parliament of its legislative and oversight role, and dissolved it definitively in March 2022. Presidential Decree No. 117 in September 2021 formalised his assumption of wide executive and legislative powers. In 2022, Saied announced the dissolution of the High Judicial Council, and dozens of judges were dismissed by presidential order, described by judges, opposition parties and human rights organisations as an assault on judicial independence.

Legislative elections at the end of 2022 recorded a first-round turnout of just 9%. From early 2023, judicial proceedings multiplied against opposition figures, politicians, businesspeople and journalists. Among the most prominent detained are octogenarian leader of the Ennahda movement Rached Ghannouchi, opposition figure Chaima Issa, and activist Jawhar Ben Mbarek. Courts have handed down prison sentences against several, which opposition groups and international human rights organisations describe as politically motivated. Tunisian authorities say the cases are unrelated to political activity and concern acts threatening state security.

Saied and his supporters argue that the period before his emergency measures was defined by paralysing inter-party conflict and institutional deadlock, and that the new political framework has restored state effectiveness. Saied has repeatedly framed his project as a response to popular demand, saying in a December 2025 address that "social justice is the primary condition for stability and for further creation of wealth and employment opportunities." Critics – including domestic opposition groups and international organisations – say the changes have weakened the separation of powers and the rule of law.

Economic growth has remained modest, private investment cautious, and access to external financing restricted. International financial institutions, including the IMF, have warned that rising public debt and weak growth are constraining the state's ability to fund investment. IMF negotiations stalled, financial support programmes slowed, and European and US assistance has become increasingly tied to economic and political conditions. The Tunisian authorities describe their approach as one of "self-reliance," with a community-owned companies project as a centrepiece, though it has yet to produce measurable results.

Unemployment stood at 15% in the first quarter of 2026, particularly acute among young graduates. The cost of living has risen sharply – inflation has exceeded 5% this year – while wages have not kept pace. Irregular migration attempts across the Mediterranean have continued. Inland regions remain significantly underdeveloped compared with coastal areas. According to available figures, 65 suicides and suicide attempts were recorded in the first six months of 2025.

Initial criticism from the US, EU and international rights organisations following Saied's emergency measures gave way to a gradual thaw from 2023, driven largely by European interest in Tunisian cooperation on irregular migration. A memorandum of understanding on a strategic partnership between Tunisia and the EU was signed in July 2023, covering the economy, energy and migration. Relations with Algeria have grown closer, while relations with Morocco broke down in 2022 after Tunisia hosted the Polisario Front leader. Tunisia has also expanded cooperation with China and Russia. Tensions arose with several African governments after Saied's February 2023 speech describing a "criminal scheme" to change Tunisia's demographic make-up.

After the 2011 revolution, Tunisia was regularly cited as a regional model for press freedom and political pluralism. Human rights, trade union and media organisations have repeatedly warned that this space has contracted since July 2021, citing the arrest of journalists, activists and bloggers. One case involved a death sentence handed down against a man over Facebook posts; the sentence was later reversed following a presidential intervention. Bassam Tarifi, president of the Tunisian Human Rights League, raised an alarm about prison conditions amid the heatwave. Decree 54, on combating offences related to information and communication systems, has been at the centre of debate; critics argue it can be applied to prosecute journalists.