Tunisian Government Increases Budget for the Poor in Response to Protests

In response to protests over living conditions and rising prices, the Tunisian government announced it will allocate $70 million to support impoverished households. Protests against the government's austerity policies began on Monday and some turned violent. In reaction to these protests, Mohamed Trabelsi, the Minister of Social Affairs, told reporters on Saturday, January 13, that the government has allocated a budget of $70.3 million to assist impoverished families and needy individuals. Trabelsi stated that this budget will cover 250,000 households and provide aid to the poor and middle class. However, the opposition and Tunisian activists have called for protests on Sunday, coinciding with the seventh anniversary of the ousting of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. According to prior announcements, Beji Caid Essebsi, the President of Tunisia, is scheduled to visit the impoverished neighborhood of Ettadhamen in Tunis on Sunday, which has been a center of protests in the country. Meanwhile, on Saturday, hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Sidi Bouzid. Seven years ago, a street vendor in this city set himself on fire, igniting flames that spread across the Arab world. The recent protests have been in response to rising prices and taxes. The government accuses the opposition of inciting the protests, but opposition parties deny these accusations. On Friday, the Tunisian Ministry of Interior announced that nearly 800 people had been arrested on charges of vandalizing public property and resorting to violence. The prices of fuel and some consumer goods have risen since January 1 in Tunisia. Additionally, taxes on vehicles, phone calls, internet, and other services have also increased. Tunisia's economic situation worsened after the 2015 terrorist attacks and the subsequent damage to the tourism industry.