Event Summary
The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), continues to face escalating systematic pressure and politically motivated attacks that threaten its role in civil society. These actions, which appear politically motivated and lack meaningful opposition from state institutions, signal a deliberate effort to weaken the union’s influence in civic and political life. If left unchecked, this erosion of credibility and space for trade union activism could have lasting consequences for democratic engagement and civil liberties in Tunisia. The most recent deterioration began on 7 August 2025, when regime supporters staged a protest outside the UGTT headquarters in Tunis, accusing it of corruption and demanding its dissolution following a national transport strike organized by the union. The UGTT responded by accusing the demonstrators of being mobilized by the regime to weaken its influence. A week later, another demonstration attempted to storm the union’s headquarters, with no significant intervention from security forces.
The Tunisian Human Rights League condemned the act as a “criminal attack,” and other civil and political actors denounced it as politically driven. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) also condemned and criticized the attacks, calling them a serious violation of civil and trade union freedoms and urging the government to resume genuine social dialogue. Despite these threats, on 21 August 2025, thousands of trade unionists protested in Tunis to defend civil liberties and union rights, denouncing repression, rising prices, and the use of militias to undermine unions, and release of political prisoners while police blocked public participation. This mobilization reaffirmed the union’s resilience and its central role in Tunisia’s civic landscape. However, the ongoing targeting of the UGTT signals a deteriorating enabling environment for civil society, particularly affecting principles such as state openness to civil society, freedom of association and peaceful assembly. The lack of protection from state institutions and politically motivated hostility risk undermining Tunisia’s democratic foundations and the legitimacy of civic actors.