Mass protests shut down Tunisia’s Gabes

Tens of thousands of residents and a UGTT-organized general strike brought Gabes to a standstill as shops, markets, schools and transport shut down in a mass protest demanding the closure of a state-run chemical complex blamed for long-term pollution. Demonstrators accused the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT) phosphate site of spewing toxic waste and emissions that they say have driven up cancer and respiratory illnesses, devastated local fisheries and damaged coastal ecosystems. Crowds marched with banners calling to “dismantle the polluting units” and chanted that Gabes “wants to live.” Attempts by some protesters to approach the plant triggered clashes with police, who used tear gas to push crowds back.

The protests mark a significant challenge to President Kais Saied, who has described the situation in Gabes as an “environmental assassination” and blamed previous authorities for criminal policy choices that harmed public health and the environment. Protesters, however, rejected official rhetoric and demanded immediate and decisive action to close the polluting units, saying incremental measures and promises are inadequate. The Health Ministry announced plans to build a cancer hospital in Gabes to address rising cases but offered no timetable, a gap that has amplified public frustration.

A July audit commissioned by GCT found major breaches of national and international environmental standards at the plant, documenting the daily discharge of an estimated 14,000–15,000 tonnes of phosphogypsum into Mediterranean waters, alongside high emissions of ammonia, nitrogen oxides and sulfates. Environmental groups and local fishermen report a steep decline in fish stocks over the past decade, undercutting a key source of income and contributing to worsening economic hardship in the region.

The strike and protests underline broader social tensions in Tunisia, where a deep financial crisis, high unemployment and regular service disruptions have fuelled discontent. Authorities face a difficult trade-off: responding to urgent public-health and environmental demands in Gabes while maintaining phosphate production, one of the country’s most valuable export sectors. Officials worry that unchecked unrest in Gabes could spread to other regions already prone to protests over basic services, heightening political risk for the government. The standoff leaves residents demanding concrete, immediate measures to halt pollution and protect health, while policymakers weigh the economic and logistical challenges of shutting or overhauling a strategic industrial site.