Tunisia News · Tuesday, 20 October 2026

Tunisia

UGTT deputy chief warns 'the street becomes the dialogue table' as talks with government stay frozen

UGTT deputy secretary general Salouen Smiri said social dialogue with the authorities has been interrupted since 2025 and criticised a trend toward unilateral decisions, days after a 17 October march the union called to demand an end to the political and economic impasse. He pointed to falling purchasing power and jobs lost at state firms such as the Tunisian Chemical Group, which now employs roughly 4,000 permanent staff against 7,400 after its last hiring round in 2013.

Source: Business News · Monday, 19 October 2026

National Council of Regions and Districts questions whether Tunisia's 3.1% growth target in the 2027 economic budget is realistic

The National Council of Regions and Districts' finance committee began reviewing the draft 2027 economic budget, which projects growth rising to 3.1% from 2.7% this year and investment climbing to 16.4% of GDP, and asked whether government policy can actually deliver it. Deputies also wanted funding for struggling state enterprises tied to measurable reform targets rather than released unconditionally.

Source: Business News · Monday, 19 October 2026

Trade ministry presses supermarkets for price cuts on consumer goods

Tunisia's commerce ministry met representatives of large supermarket chains and asked for reductions on a range of consumer products, weeks after the industry's own federation flagged supply disruptions in sugar, flour and rice. No timeline was announced.

Source: Business News · Monday, 19 October 2026

Tunisian police dismantle gold-trading network accused of tax fraud and money laundering

Tunisia's national police said Tuesday it broke up a network of gold traders accused of using shell companies to dodge taxes and launder gold of unknown origin. Thirteen suspects remain in custody. Investigators seized more than 70 kilograms of gold, 4.5 kilograms of silver, nine luxury cars and cash, worth close to 25 million dinars in total.

Source: African Manager · Tuesday, 20 October 2026

Geopolitics

Saudi Arabia postpones its flagship investment forum over Houthi attacks

The Future Investment Initiative, due to run 26 to 29 October and nicknamed 'Davos in the Desert,' has been postponed until next year, organisers said, as the Iran-backed Houthis continue strikes on Saudi Arabia that have killed at least 18 people and wounded hundreds, including an 8 October attack on Riyadh's main airport. A new date will be announced, the statement said.

Source: Al Jazeera · Tuesday, 20 October 2026

Drone attacks blamed on both sides kill at least 160 across Sudan in four days

A drone strike on a market transport hub in West Kordofan on 18 October killed 80 people, part of a wave of strikes since Friday that UN officials call alarming; the army and the RSF each blame the other, and a separate RSF drone killed 41 displaced people in Blue Nile. The war, now in its fourth year, has displaced about 13 million people and left 33.7 million needing food aid.

Source: Al Jazeera · Monday, 19 October 2026

Europe

Macron's authority shaken as French unrest deepens, interior minister offers to resign

After the 17 October looting and riots left Paris with a record 855 arrests, out of the more than 2,000 counted nationwide, President Macron, on a trip to the Gulf, faces criticism from allies and rivals alike. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez admitted a 'lack of anticipation' and offered to resign, which Macron rejected. Prime Minister Lecornu has asked regional authorities to impose partial curfews ahead of further protests planned for next weekend.

Source: Euronews · Monday, 19 October 2026

Von der Leyen and Costa head to Budapest as EU and Hungary mark a thaw

The Commission and European Council presidents will meet Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar in Budapest on 23 October for the 70th anniversary of the 1956 uprising, von der Leyen's first visit to Hungary since 2024. Magyar's government, in power since April, has broken with Viktor Orbán's line by naming Russia a security threat and backing the opening of four EU accession clusters for Ukraine.

Source: Euronews · Monday, 19 October 2026

Leaders of EU Parliament's three centrist groups set for re-election as their alliance cracks

Manfred Weber (EPP), Iratxe García Pérez (S&D) and Valérie Hayer (Renew), who each lead one of the European Parliament's three centrist political groups, face no real challengers in their groups' internal leadership votes on 20 October in Strasbourg, but the coalition behind Commission President von der Leyen has frayed as the EPP leans increasingly on right-wing and far-right votes for migration and climate laws.

Source: Euronews · Monday, 19 October 2026