Tunisian President Kais Saied has ordered Europe’s top trade union official to leave the country after she took part in a protest organized by a powerful labor union Saturday. This is the secretary general of Tunisia’s General Labor Union, Othman Jalouli, who spoke at the protest.

Othman Jalouli: “There is an inability of the government and the authorities to put the country on the right track on the economic, social and political levels. Today there is a campaign aimed at undermining the union and silencing the voice of workers, with the intention of passing unpopular policies.”

The U.N.'s human rights chief last week warned against a mounting crackdown in Tunisia, where President Saied's government has arrested officials from the main opposition party Ennahda, former ministers, judges, lawyers and the head of a radio station. In July 2021, Saied dismissed the government, declared rule by decree and vowed to rewrite Tunisia’s constitution.