Tunisia Fuel Strike Sparks Economic Fears

A 48-hour fuel strike in Tunisia, launched by fuel transport workers to demand better working conditions and wage increases, has brought attention to the country's growing economic and political anger. The strike, which was organised by the General Federation of Oil and Chemicals, lasted until Thursday and prompted citizens to rush to petrol stations, threatening widespread paralysis in a country that relies almost entirely on trucks for fuel distribution.

According to Khaled Bettin, general manager of the national oil distributor Agil, fuel remains available, but a swift resolution to the strike is necessary to avoid further disruptions. The strike coincides with mounting public anger over recurrent electricity and water outages, rising prices, and medicine shortages, which have been exacerbated by the government's failure to secure foreign funds and its reliance on domestic borrowing.

The fuel strike is a symptom of a much broader macroeconomic crisis, characterised by inflation, eroded purchasing power, and the state's inability to secure external funding. President Kais Saied suspended parliament and began ruling by decree more than five years ago, and old grievances are resurfacing as the space for civil society and political dissent narrows significantly.

## What's at stake The strike may have disastrous results on the Tunisian economy, according to Tunisian economist Kholoud Toumi. The global economy is suffering from an economic crisis and fluctuations in oil and energy prices globally, which reflects directly on Tunisia's import bill and economic needs for hard currency. Tunisia's inability to secure external funding has forced a reliance on domestic borrowing, which has negatively impacted investment and consumption.

## Why it matters The fuel strike highlights the severe consequences of the country's economic and political crisis. With a worsening public services crisis, including recurrent electricity and water outages, rising prices, and medicine shortages, the strike has sparked concerns over the ability of the government to address the country's economic and political challenges. As the global economy continues to suffer from economic crisis and fluctuations in oil and energy prices, Tunisia's economic needs for hard currency will continue to be affected, making it essential for the government to find a swift resolution to the strike and address the underlying economic and political issues.