This time, a much more directly felt crisis has been added to the long-standing economic and social problems in the country.
The fact that power outages lasted for hours and drinking water was not available for days or even weeks in some regions affected many areas, from health services to production. Despite the growth of the crisis, the fact that the official authorities did not make a comprehensive statement for a long time increased the reaction even more.
Hot weather hit, system crashed
Tunisia has been affected by an intense heat wave since mid-July. Although high temperatures are considered normal in the country during the summer months, what made the summer of 2026 different was that the heat was experienced simultaneously with serious disruptions in the electrical system. Prolonged and repeated power outages were recorded in almost all parts of the country.
The outages didn't just affect homes. Health centres, public institutions, factories, farms and commercial enterprises also suffered from electricity shortages. It was reported that some patients lost their lives, serious losses were experienced in the poultry industry, seafood and foods that needed to be kept in the cold spoiled, industrial production chains were disrupted and public services were disrupted.
The problem in the electricity system also exacerbated the water crisis. Drinking water was cut off in many cities and neighborhoods due to problems in the operation of pumping and distribution stations. In some regions, access to water has become a problem that lasts not just a few days, but weeks.
Official statement delayed, suspicion grew
One of the most striking aspects of the crisis was that there was almost no detailed explanation from the government in the first days. The Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company merely announced that rotating outages would be implemented between cities and neighborhoods, and explained that this practice aimed to "protect the security and sustainability of the electricity system."
President Kays Said, in his statement after approximately ten days of silence, described the electricity and water outages and fires as "extraordinary events". Said said that the state will not remain silent against those who try to torture citizens and provoke the situation in the country. However, he did not explain who or which structures he meant with these words and what their role was in the electricity crisis.
This approach raised new question marks in those who were waiting for a technical and economic explanation regarding the causes of the crisis. Company announcements that the power outages were made for "load reduction" purposes revealed that the production capacity could not meet the rising consumption demand, especially in extreme heat.
Not a temporary malfunction, but a structural problem
There have been periods when Tunisia has experienced power outages before, but these generally occurred in limited areas and for short periods of time. The fact that the outages in the summer of 2026 became long-term and repeated throughout the country strengthened the assessment that the problem was not just a temporary technical malfunction.
The fact that lower-intensity outages continued after the intensity of the heat wave decreased showed that there were serious structural problems in electricity generation capacity, infrastructure investments and energy planning. According to experts, the solution is not only in daily load reduction applications; It should be sought in renewing the electrical infrastructure, creating financial resources and increasing alternative energy investments.
The issue of energy security is increasingly turning into a strategic issue for Tunisia. Considering the increase in global energy prices, regional instability and financial problems of public companies, it is stated that the country should make medium and long-term energy planning.
First there was water and electricity on the streets
Prolonged power and water outages led to night protests in some cities in the southeast. In the demonstrations that quickly spread to other parts of the country, protesters burned tires, closed some roads to traffic, and demanded regular supply of electricity and drinking water.
In the first protests, demands for public services came to the fore rather than political slogans. Demonstrators demanded an end to electricity and water outages, improved services and a public statement from the government about the crisis. Security forces largely remained spectators to the protests. Although there were limited interventions in the capital, some large cities and some poor neighborhoods, no large-scale conflicts occurred.
Then the slogan changed
However, the demonstration held in the capital, Tunis, with the call of the civil "Breathe" movement, was one of the turning points when the protests turned political. It was reported that especially young people participated in the movement demanding the defense of freedoms and the re-establishment of the democratic process.
Slogans "Leave" and "The people want the fall of the regime" were shouted at the demonstration held on the fifth anniversary of President Qais Said's intervention in the constitutional order. It was noteworthy that independent names, political parties and groups from different ideological lines came together in the same demonstration. The demonstrators demanded not only the solution of the electricity and water crisis, but also the departure of the current administration, the release of prisoners, the restoration of the democratic process and the finding of comprehensive solutions to the economic problems in the country.
The crisis is not just in electricity
The economic problems that Tunisia has faced in recent years are not limited to the electricity crisis. The country has previously experienced supply problems in basic consumer products such as bread, vegetable oil, sugar and coffee. While there were high increases in consumer prices, it was stated that red meat prices approximately tripled in the 2021-2026 period.
There are also serious problems in drug supply. It is stated that drugs used in the treatment of chronic diseases and cancer drugs are not available in some periods, and the quality of service in public hospitals has declined. It is reported that private pharmacies have difficulty in implementing existing agreements due to the health insurance fund not fulfilling its financial obligations. A significant portion of public institutions operating in basic areas such as water, electricity, transportation, railways, airlines, pharmaceutical supply and grain management are experiencing debt burden, lack of financial resources, lack of investment and poor management problems. This situation raises the debate on whether the state can provide basic public services in a sustainable manner.
The problem is old, the crisis is not new but worse
It is known that all of Tunisia's current economic and social problems did not arise during the Qays Said period. The origins of many problems go back decades, to the country's economic choices, development policies and chronic flaws in public administration.
Critics, on the other hand, argue that the problems worsened much faster after Said consolidated power. It is claimed that reducing the influence of political parties, unions and social organizations in the system, weakening the control capacity of the parliament and excluding expert staff make crisis management difficult.
The government's discourse, which places the responsibility for economic problems on those it defines as "traitors", "agents", "thieves" or "conspirators", is also at the center of criticism. According to opposition circles, this approach emphasizes the language of political accusation rather than solving the technical and economic causes of the problems.
“The system was destroyed, but a new one could not be established”
It is stated that in the last five years, many control and governance mechanisms such as the Supreme Judicial Council, the Access to Information Authority, the National Anti-Corruption Agency and municipal councils have been neutralized or restructured. However, there are criticisms that strong and independent institutions that will serve the same function have not been established instead.
While investigations were carried out against many business people and politicians on the grounds of fighting corruption and recovering "looted money", a "criminal reconciliation" mechanism was established. However, it is stated that no significant improvement has been achieved in basic problems such as budget deficit, regional development and public services. The government's past promises to establish large health cities and to build high-speed train lines connecting the north and south of the country have not been realized so far. Problems in the fields of transportation, health, education, agriculture, industry and energy continued to grow.
Support base is shrinking
The worsening of the economic crises and the government's failure to fulfill its promises caused the social support that Said had during his intervention in 2021 to weaken. Some political and social structures that previously supported the President or remained neutral took an opposing position over time.
Changes in the attitude of structures such as the Popular Movement, the Tunisian General Labor Union and the Tunisian Human Rights Defense Union are considered among the indicators of this transformation. Participation in the events organized by Said supporters in the capital is limited compared to the past, which feeds the assessment that social support is not as strong as before.
The real question: Electricity crisis or management crisis?
It is stated that the electricity crisis cannot be considered only as a problem of the energy sector, since livelihood and service problems in Tunisia are interconnected. Economic difficulties, public administration, political system and social discontent become parts of the same crisis chain.
The lack of a strong sign that President Said's management approach will change and the doubts about the government's capacity to solve economic problems increase the expectation that the crisis may grow further in the coming period. Political legitimacy, which was previously discussed due to low participation rates in the elections, is being questioned again, this time through the "capacity to produce results" of the administration.
September may be the new exam
As the severity of the electricity crisis in July decreased, the tempo of the protests also decreased. However, this does not mean that the fundamental problems in Tunisia have disappeared. Especially with the opening of schools in September, the increase in living costs for families and the increase in the burden on public services may bring new social tensions.
It is considered that new problems that may be experienced in the fields of transportation, energy, health and education may revive public protests. More importantly, the first signs of joint action by different political and youth groups around the demand for the restoration of the democratic process have emerged.
Power outages may have temporarily decreased in Tunisia, but the political landscape created by the crisis has not disappeared. The problem in the country is no longer just when the electricity will come or when the water will flow from the tap; It has evolved into a larger debate about the state's ability to provide basic services and the sustainability of the current administration's future.
Perhaps the most striking result of the summer of 2026 in Tunisia lies here: When the electricity is cut off for a few hours, the generator can be activated, when the water is cut off, a tanker can be found; However, it is not yet known which button will be pressed to reopen the loss of confidence in the state administration.
