Tunisia’s Grand Mufti: Abandon labour protests to save the economy

Tunisia’s Grand Mufti Othman Battikh called on Tunisians to “abandon untimely protests and sit-ins hindering work and production” and to dedicate their efforts to “working and studying” to save the country’s ailing economy.

His remarks come after Tunisia announced that the British energy firm Petrofac was to resume operations in the country after a labour dispute halted its work for months.

Battikh’s remarks have caused controversy particularly among new graduates. The country’s powerful labour union said it was “surprised” by the cleric labelling the “legitimate demands” of workers with religious rulings. Social media users questioned the mufti’s lack of labelling of the country’s widespread corruption instead.

The NGO Tunisian Forum for Economic and Political Rights criticised the mufti’s “interference” and called on the government to “assume its responsibilities in defending the constitution, which guarantees…civil and political liberties.”

Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, who took office last month, has said he is “determined to face all illegal and illegitimate sit-ins, while remaining committed to guaranteeing the right to strike.”