Tunisia Extends State of Emergency by 11 Months Until December 31, 2026

Tunisian President Kais Saied has extended the country’s long-running state of emergency by an additional 11 months, until December 31, 2026, according to a decree published in the official gazette on Friday, January 30, 2026.

The state of emergency, first declared on July 4, 2015, following a deadly attack on presidential guards in Tunis that killed several members of the security forces, has been continuously renewed since then. The 2015 assault, claimed by the Islamic State group, targeted a bus carrying members of the presidential security detail on a main avenue in the capital, killing 15 people including 12 officers. The measure grants the president and security forces expanded powers, including restrictions on public gatherings, curfews, house searches without warrants, media censorship, and enhanced authority to detain suspects.

Under the state of emergency framework, President Saied has periodically renewed the decree – often for periods of three to twelve months – citing ongoing threats from terrorism, organised crime, and internal instability. The latest extension comes amid persistent domestic political criticism and international concern over what opponents describe as an erosion of democratic norms since Saied’s July 2021 self-described “correctional” measures, which included freezing parliament, dismissing the government, and assuming broad executive powers.

Political and Human Rights Context

The renewal has drawn renewed criticism from Tunisian activists, political opponents, and civil society organisations. On January 10, 2026, hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Tunis calling for an end to “one-man rule” and the restoration of democratic institutions, waving signs and chanting slogans against the prolonged emergency powers. Opposition figures and human rights groups argue that the state of emergency has been used to justify restrictions on freedom of assembly, expression, and the press, as well as the arrest and prosecution of critics, journalists, and political opponents.

Since 2021, Saied has overseen a sweeping overhaul of the political system, including a new constitution approved in a low-turnout referendum in July 2022, the dissolution of the elected parliament, and the prosecution of numerous prominent figures on charges ranging from corruption to conspiracy against state security. International observers, including the United Nations, the European Union, and human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly expressed concern over the concentration of power, the erosion of judicial independence, and the use of emergency laws to suppress dissent.

Democratic Status

Tunisia, long viewed as the only democratic success story to emerge from the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, has seen its democratic gains steadily reversed under Saied’s rule. Freedom House downgraded Tunisia from “Free” to “Partly Free” in recent years, citing declining political rights and civil liberties.

Security Justification vs. Political Criticism

The government maintains that the state of emergency remains necessary due to persistent terrorism threats, particularly from jihadist groups operating in border regions with Libya and Algeria, as well as internal security challenges. Tunisian authorities have conducted numerous counterterrorism operations in recent years, and the country continues to face risks from radicalisation and cross-border militancy.

Critics counter that the emergency decree has become a tool for consolidating executive authority rather than addressing genuine security needs, pointing to the absence of major terrorist attacks on the scale of 2015 in recent years and the use of emergency powers in non-security-related arrests and restrictions. The 11-month extension – longer than many previous renewals – signals continued reliance on exceptional measures amid preparations for future elections and ongoing political consolidation.