Thousands of members of Tunisia’s General Labour Union (UGTT) marched in central Tunis on 21 August after the organisation called for a mass rally to defend trade-union rights and broader civil liberties. Participants gathered outside the union’s headquarters, chanting slogans and decrying what they describe as growing pressure on organised labour. The UGTT warned that continuing restrictions could tip the country into a deeper social crisis, according to statements reported by RFI. France 24 characterised the demonstration as a show of support for the embattled union amid what it called a government clampdown. Earlier in the day, President Kais Saied met Central Bank of Tunisia Governor Marouan Abassi, saying the country’s strategy of economic self-reliance and its decision to “break free from external dictates” were yielding positive results. Saied emphasised the bank’s role in supporting the government’s economic programme, underscoring a widening gap between the administration’s upbeat assessment and union leaders’ warnings of mounting social tensions.