On Saturday, thousands of Tunisians flooded the streets of Tunis to demand President Kais Saied step down, marking five years since his controversial power grab. Protesters held signs reading “Get out” and “Game over,” chanting against the president’s rule. They condemned worsening living conditions, democratic backsliding, and state mismanagement, exacerbated by recent heatwaves causing wildfires and utility outages. Academic Mouldi Gassoumi called the march a rediscovery of republican values, describing Saied’s 2021 actions as a “coup d’état.”

The protest highlighted growing social tensions, with demonstrators also demanding the release of imprisoned journalist Mourad Zghidi. This latest rally underscores persistent opposition to crackdowns on dissent, economic struggles, and press freedom limits in Tunisia.