Sousse General Strike Postponed Until January 13

A strike organized by the Regional Labor Union (URT) in Sousse, Tunisia has been postponed until January 13.

The strike has been organized to protest economic and social strife in the region. At issue, Sousse’s struggling economy after the tourism sector was hit hard following the COVID-19 pandemic. Several URT strikes have been implemented in the past to exert pressure on the government, making it a key civil society organization in Tunisia.

The strike will likely disrupt public services, except for health services due to the increasing number of cases of the Omicron variant. If launched, security forces would be deployed near government buildings and town centers. Despite postponements, expect further protests across the country as travel restrictions are likely to increase due to rising cases of COVID-19 in Tunisia.

There will also likely be increases in tourism from eastern European countries, most notably Russia, as Western countries are deterred from travel by their governments. Salvaging the tourist economy in cities like Sousse makes Russia an attractive ally for the Tunisian government. Noting the recent trend of more pronounced bilateral relations between Russia and North African countries, Tunisia is likely to see a growing presence of Russian influence.

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