Tunisians protest against high prices, poverty

Demonstrators took to the street in the Douar Hicher neighbourhood of the Tunisian capital, Tunis,  last night to protest against increasing poverty, high prices and the lack of availability of food commodities in stores.

Tunisia is struggling to revive its public finances as dissatisfaction grows, inflation reaches 8.6 per cent and there are food shortages in stores. The country has been unable to afford sufficient vital imports.

It is also witnessing a severe political crisis since President Kais Saied seized control of the executive authority last year and dissolved parliament in a move his opponents described as a coup. Saied said it was a legal step to end years of chaos and widespread corruption.

Videos on social media showed dozens of people scrambling to get one kilogramme of sugar at stores across the country.

Tunisia is seeking a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to save public finances from collapsing.

This month, the government raised the price of cooking gas cylinders by 14 per cent for the first time in 12 years. It also raised fuel prices for the fourth time this year as part of a plan to cut energy subsidies, a major reform demanded by the IMF.

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