Thousands of Tunisians took to the streets of Tunis on Thursday, demanding union rights and greater civic freedoms as tensions mount between the country’s most powerful labour union and President Kais Saied.
The rally was organised by the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), which accused President Kais Saied's government of eroding labour rights and using intimidation to silence dissent.
Chanting "the street belongs to the people," protesters gathered outside the union's headquarters before marching down Habib Bourguiba Avenue, the heart of the 2010-2011 revolution that toppled Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali and helped spark the 2011 regional revolutions around MENA.
In a speech to the crowd, UGTT Secretary General Noureddine Taboubi said the union would not be intimidated by "threats and smear campaigns," calling for the release of political prisoners and fair trials.
"Tunisia is passing through a dangerous stage, after the collapse of all foundations of political and civil life and the poisoning of the climate with incitement, hate speech, and the assault on freedoms and trade union rights."
The protest comes amid rising tensions between the union and the president. A decade after helping to shape Tunisia's democratic transition and winning the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the "national dialogue quartet," the UGTT now confronts Saied directly.
Since his 2021 power grab, Saied has ruled by decree, dissolved parliament, and sacked judges—moves the opposition describes as a coup.
Earlier this month, dozens of Saied supporters attempted to storm the union's headquarters following a three-day strike.
The president later said he shared their grievances and accused the UGTT of corruption, claims the union rejected as intimidation.
Prime Minister Sara Zanzari has also escalated the stand-off by ending the long-standing system of paid leave for union officials, which she described as a misuse of public funds. The UGTT called the move "a declaration of war."
Despite these political clashes, the UGTT and President Saied have found common ground on economic matters.
Last year, Taboubi said the union "backs the position of the president" after Saied rejected IMF conditions tied to Tunisia's loan request.
Both oppose selling off public companies, lifting subsidies, and implementing austerity measures such as wage freezes or restructuring state-owned enterprises, arguing these steps would worsen hardship for workers and those living in poverty.
While the UGTT remains critical of Saied's monopolisation of power and exclusion of political dialogue, the two have aligned in resisting economic policies they see as harmful to Tunisian society.
Now, however, the UGTT says it is being scapegoated for the country's troubles.
"Holding the UGTT responsible for the state of the country will only deepen tensions. We cannot continue to remain silent or wait for top-down solutions", Taboubi said. "The situation is on the verge of explosion."
During the protest, Naïla Zoghlami, former president of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, described the UGTT as "the last standing fortress."
"If the fortress of [union founder] Farhat Hached falls, there can be no talk of civil society in Tunisia."
Last week, Salah Eddine El-Jourchi, bureau chief of Al-Araby Al-Jadeed in Tunis, warned that Saied could attempt to "detain union leaders on charges of politicising labour activism, or weaken the movement by reshaping its leadership."
Founded in 1946, the UGTT has played a central role in Tunisia's modern history, from resisting French colonial rule to leading strikes that weakened past autocrats.
With more than 700,000 members, it remains the country's largest organised force outside the presidency.
The union has also opened its headquarters to pro-Palestine groups during Israel's war on Gaza, further cementing its role as a hub for activism.
However, many Tunisians view its frequent strikes in transport and phosphate production as contributing to economic decline, a sentiment Saied has leveraged amid a worsening financial crisis.
Analysts warn the confrontation could escalate further if the government moves against union leaders.
For now, the UGTT has stopped short of calling a nationwide general strike but has left the threat on the table. "The union will not be humiliated," Taboubi said, vowing to keep up the pressure.
Carthage has yet to address Thursday's protest.