Tunisia Nafas protest over heat outages

A summer of extreme heat, with temperatures reaching up to 50 degrees C (122 F) in parts of Tunisia, has led to record electricity demand and power rationing by state-owned utility Société Tunisienne de l Electricité et du Gaz (STEG). The power cuts disrupted water pumping stations, worsening drinking water shortages and emptying bottled water shelves as factory operations were disrupted. A shortage of raw plastic materials, caused by shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, further slowed bottle production. The Nafas movement, an opposition collective launched in May, called and held protests in Tunis, including one on Thursday, drawing activists, citizens, and social media influencers. Protesters demanded improvements to basic services, an end to medicine shortages and rising costs, and many called for President Kais Saied to step down, using slogans from the 2011 Arab Spring. Saied has consolidated power since 2021 and has restricted dissent. The protests reflect growing public anger over government failure and deteriorating economic conditions.