Opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied took to the streets of the capital, Tunis, on Thursday, denouncing what they describe as increasingly authoritarian rule.

Meanwhile, supporters of the president held a counter rally, reflecting the country’s deepening political divide.

The protests come amid a broader Tunisian political crisis, with human rights organizations expressing growing concern over the crackdown on dissent and the erosion of democratic institutions.

Opposition demonstrators condemn authoritarian drift

Thursday's protest marked the second major opposition-led demonstration within a week. Protesters chanted slogans such as “Saied go away, you are dictator” and “The people want the fall of the regime,” echoing the rallying cries that led to the 2011 ousting of former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Demonstrators began their march at the Administrative Court headquarters, where prominent lawyer and former judge Ahmed Souab once served, before heading toward Habib Bourguiba Avenue. Souab’s recent arrest has become a rallying point for critics of the president.

The protest was a direct response to what the opposition calls an escalating Tunisian opposition crackdown. Souab’s detention followed the sentencing of several opposition figures on conspiracy charges, moves that have drawn sharp rebukes from France, Germany, and the United Nations.

Saied’s supporters rally in defense of the president

In a parallel demonstration on the same avenue, supporters of Saied chanted slogans such as “No to foreign interference” and “The people want Saied again.”

Riot police were deployed in large numbers to prevent clashes between rival groups, but confrontations were reported.

Crackdown on critics draws international concern

Souab’s arrest is only the latest in a wave of detentions targeting Saied’s critics. Leaders from nearly all major political parties are now behind bars, including Abir Moussi of the Free Constitutional Party and Rached Ghannouchi of the Ennahda movement.

France, Germany, and the United Nations have all voiced concerns over Tunisia’s deteriorating political climate. However, Saied has rejected such criticism, branding it as unwarranted interference in Tunisia’s internal affairs and a threat to national sovereignty.

Tunisia's political crisis escalated in 2021 when Saied dissolved the elected parliament and began ruling by decree. He later moved to take control of the judiciary, prompting accusations from the opposition that he had launched a coup against the post-2011 democratic framework.

While critics argue that Tunisia’s democracy is under threat, Saied maintains that his actions were legal and necessary to restore national stability and dismantle a deeply entrenched system of corruption.

Despite the mounting concerns, Saied insists he does not seek authoritarian power but aims to hold corrupt elites accountable and return Tunisia to order.

Read more: UN Rights Chief condemns Tunisia's mass sentencing