Tunisian President Kais Saied has once again taken aim at the bureaucratic obstacles and networks of vested interests that he claims are stifling the country’s agricultural sector.
This populist stance, which redirects attention toward rural issues, comes just months ahead of crucial political elections. During a meeting at Carthage Palace with Interior Minister Khaled Nouri and Finance Minister Michket Slama Khaldi, the head of state demanded the immediate removal of hurdles facing farmers.
According to a presidential statement, Saied specifically condemned the proliferation of “procedures lacking a legal basis” imposed through administrative circulars. He cited abuses such as demanding decade-old documents or requiring tax payments without proper legal justification. The President argued that these arbitrary practices “stifle small producers” and create a climate of widespread mistrust toward the administration.
In an overtly accusatory tone, Saied targeted what he referred to as “pockets of counter-revolution” and “lobbies” attempting to “undermine trust” between the state and its citizens. He urged authorities at all levels to “fully assume their responsibilities” and actively protect farmers from “speculators and hoarders.” This rhetoric aligns with the President’s recurring strategy of identifying internal enemies to justify his centralization of power.
Saied also denounced “certain mercenary voices” accused of manipulating public opinion. He reaffirmed that Tunisia remains a state governed by the rule of law and promised immediate measures to “put an end to these abuses,” assuring that the government’s policy aims to “support small farmers at every stage of production, storage, and sale.”
Despite this assertive language, many observers remain skeptical about the prospects of genuine structural reform. Since consolidating power in 2021, Kais Saied has frequently made similar pronouncements but has yet to deliver substantial investment or modernization programs for the agricultural sector, which is a vital pillar of the Tunisian economy.
Concluding his speech with the continuation of a “war of liberation on all fronts,” Saied reinforced his messianic vision of leadership, focusing on “patriotic purity” and the fight against corruption. While this strong anti-corruption stance resonates with a segment of the rural population, opponents criticize the discourse as being populist and detached from Tunisia’s pressing economic realities.
MK/AK/fss/abj/APA