Tunisia’s President Kais Saied has officially commenced his second term in office, following his landslide re-election with 90.7% of the vote. His inauguration on Monday followed a turbulent first term highlighted by many arrests and a crackdown on political opponents.
In his speech, the 66-year-old former law professor called for a “cultural revolution” to tackle unemployment, confront terrorism, and root out corruption, with the objective of “building a country where everyone can live in dignity.”
Saied’s re-election on October 7 comes after a contentious first term in which he suspended Tunisia’s parliament, revised the country’s post-Arab Spring constitution, and detained numerous critics, including political leaders, journalists, and civil society members. He has justified his actions as necessary to combat corruption and eliminate state enemies, promising to target “thieves and traitors” associated with foreign interests, whom he blames for preventing Tunisia’s progress.
Despite Saied’s pledge to safeguard liberties, several journalists were prohibited from covering his inauguration. The National Syndicate of Tunisian Journalists slammed the move, calling it a continuation of the “blackout policy” that limits journalistic work in the nation.
