2023-08-21 10:20:45
In a series of suicidal maneuvers, Tunisian President Kais Saied seems to have set out to transform his country into a cloned version of Algeria. And what better way to do that than with a proper food crisis? This is how Tunisia, where bread is considered an essential component of daily life, has been plunged into a shortage crisis which is strangely reminiscent of what happens on a daily basis in Algeria (the self-proclaimed regional power)!
By causing endless queues in front of bakeries, Tunisian leaders seem to want to copy the Algerian model
The image of Tunisians queuing to get their precious ration of bread has become outrageous, with palpable tension in the air. And as if that were not enough to add salt to the wound, the crisis has recently reached such a point that the president has seen fit to dismiss the director of the Public Cereals Office. The reasons ? They remain unclear, but apparently the authorities fear a repeat of the unrest that rocked the country in 1983/84, when soaring prices claimed the lives of more than 150 people.
Experts in the Algerian and Tunisian economies have pointed to the lack of supply of state-subsidized flour in the market. It would appear that restrictions on bakeries, including independent modern bakeries, have only made the situation worse, leading to a nationwide shortage.
As for the arrest of Mohamed Bouanane, the president of the bakers’ associations, one might say that it falls into the category of presidential actions full of panache. Accused of monopoly, speculation on subsidized food and money laundering, it seems that the authorities have decided to play their part in this great theater of crisis resolution.
It remains to be seen whether these measures “heroic”, of President Kaïs Saied will be sufficient to eradicate the shortage of bread. In a country where bread is more than just food, expectations are high. Tunisia, whose relative stability was once a strong point in a turbulent region, is now taking a surprising path towards ‘Algeria-Bis’.. Who would have thought that the path to this new status would pass through the baguette?
Abderrazzak Boussaid/Le7tv
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