Tunisia: What has Kais Saied achieved economically in seven years?

For Tunisian taxi driver Houssam Oueslati, inflation has a price tag: The cost of keeping his car on the road.In 2018, he paid about 35 Tunisian dinars ($13) for engine oil. Today, the same purchase can cost close to 100 dinars ($34). To maintain his income, he has had to work longer hours, spending more of his day behind the wheel to cover rising operating costs.His experience points to a broader question facing Tunisia nearly seven years into Kais Saied’s presidency: What has changed in the economy, and how much of that change has improved people’s lives?Saied came to power amid widespread frustration with the political establishment, promising a fairer and more accountable state. Since then, Tunisia has faced the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, volatile global food and energy prices, and geopolitical turmoil.These shocks have complicated the country’s recovery, but they do not settle the question of how effectively the government has responded. The economy continues to grow, and overall unemployment has eased from its pandemic-era peak. Yet food prices remain a burden, unemployment among young people is high, and public finances leave the government with limited ...