On Monday, hundreds of President Kais Saied’s followers gathered in Tunis to demonstrate their support for him following a crackdown on opponents who were charged with treason and corruption, as well as to oppose what they see as international meddling.
“The people want the country to be cleansed!” they chanted in a key Tunis boulevard. Although Saied’s detractors have frequently organized demonstrations against him that frequently drew thousands of people to the streets, his own supporters have rarely done so.
Saied, who was elected in 2019, took the majority of the authority in 2021 by dissolving the elected parliament, installing a new administration, and then establishing rule by decree and revising the constitution.
Police have begun to crack down on opposition groups who accuse him of staging a coup in recent weeks, detaining lawmakers, union leaders, judges, a well-known businessman, and the head of an independent radio station.
In his denial of staging a coup, Saied claimed that his actions were legitimate and essential to rescuing Tunisia from years of anarchy. He also branded his rivals as traitors, criminals, and terrorists.
The European Parliament and the United States have expressed worry over his actions, and he has replied by describing them as attacks on Tunisian sovereignty and foreign intervention.