Tunisia: Activists call for anti-government protests on the anniversary of Ben Ali resignation

The Ennahda Movement has called on Tunisians to take part in nationwide anti-government protests planned for January 14—precisely eleven years after the ouster of the former autocratic President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in the wake of the country's 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.  

Ennahda, Tunisia's moderate Islamist party, urged on Monday "its supporters and all social forces to participate strongly in the demonstrations planned to be organised on January 14 2022" in an official Facebook post. 

The party's call to protest comes in response to Saied's launching in early January of a sweeping national consultation process, which, ahead of a referendum scheduled for next July 25, will serve in the drafting of a new constitution for the North African republic. 

Ennahda constituted the largest and most influential bloc in Tunisia's Parliament until its dissolution by President Kais Saied in July 2021. The party and its supporters have since vociferously opposed a series of moves taken by the President to seize near-total authority, including the suspension of Parliament and dismissal of the prime minister, rulings by decree, and proposed systemic political reforms.  

Denounced as a "coup" by his opponents, Saied's ambitious power grab has evoked fears of democratic backsliding after a decade of progress, which witnessed the toppling of a 23-year dictatorship, a new constitution, freedom of speech and free and fair elections in the only democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring. 

However, leading up to the explosive events of last July, Tunisia's post-revolutionary political system scarcely resembled the success story many had hoped for eleven years ago. Indeed, weary of years of political paralysis, a parliament rife with corruption, and a burgeoning economic crisis, an overwhelming majority of Tunisians initially welcomed Saied's drastic intervention. Thousands have taken to the streets in support of the President, faithful in his pledge to restore power and sovereignty to the people.   

Nevertheless, Friday's forthcoming events indicate that despite retaining considerable political capital, time is running out for Saied to present Tunisians with a clear roadmap out of the nation's democratic crisis—and opposition is gaining traction. While expected to be well-attended, the demonstrations are unlikely to recall the scenes of presidential overthrow witnessed on that fateful day in 2011.