Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Tunis, Tunisia's capital, on Thursday, calling for the resignation of President Kais Saied and the restoration of democratic governance. The march, organised by the Nafas Movement — a new opposition collective launched in May — brought together political parties and independent figures who have grown increasingly vocal in their criticism of the government's handling of the country's economic and social challenges.

Protesters pointed to a summer of acute hardship, with record-breaking heat waves pushing electricity demand to unprecedented levels and forcing state utility STEG to introduce power rationing across several regions. The resulting blackouts disrupted water pumping stations, worsening an already severe drinking water shortage in parts of the country. Demonstrators also decried rising food prices, declining purchasing power, shortages of basic medicines, and what they described as mounting restrictions on civil liberties. "The country has hit a wall. There is no water or electricity. What I see is that the country is going backwards, while others have moved ahead of us," said protester Youssef Hleli.

Thursday's protest follows a July rally held on the anniversary of Saied's sweeping consolidation of power in 2021, when he dismissed the government and suspended parliament. Since then, he has presided over tightening restrictions on independent media, civil society organisations, and political dissent. Critics of his government have adopted a sharper tone in recent demonstrations, reviving the 2011 Arab Spring revolutionary chant — "the people want the fall of the regime" — and the French word "Dégage" (Get Out), slogans that resonate deeply in Tunisia, widely regarded as the birthplace of those pro-democracy uprisings. Saied has consistently dismissed his critics, accusing them of receiving foreign funding to destabilise the country.

The Nafas Movement has positioned itself as a broader coalition than Tunisia's traditional opposition groups, seeking to unite diverse voices around demands for basic services, economic recovery, and a return to democratic norms. Why this matters: Tunisia's unrest reflects a wider pattern of pressure on governments across the region as climate-related heat stress compounds long-standing economic fragility, testing the resilience of both citizens and political systems.