On December 17, Tunisia marked the fifteenth anniversary of the start of its revolution amidst deep divisions. While the capital, Tunis, resonated with pro-presidential slogans, the southern city of Gabès chose to transform the commemoration into a cry of alarm against industrial pollution.

Two rooms, two atmospheres: Tunis vs Gabès

While thousands of supporters of President Kaïs Saïed converged on Tunis to celebrate the official date of the uprising, the atmosphere was quite different in Gabès. There, the anniversary of the revolution is not a thing of the past, but a present-day reality, marked by a fierce struggle for environmental justice .

Since last September, anger has been simmering. Residents are denouncing the toxic emissions from the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT) , a public phosphate processing company responsible for more than 200 recent cases of asphyxiation.

The testimony of generations

For the protesters, the freedom of expression acquired in 2011 is the essential tool to defend their fundamental rights:

1. Semia (55 years old, teacher): For her, demonstrating against pollution is more urgent than debating the official date of the revolution. "It's an issue that affects us all so far," she says.
2. Imen (26 years old, student): Originally from Sidi Bouzid, the cradle of the 2010 uprising, she sees her support for the people of Gabès as a continuation of the initial struggle. "Celebrating the revolution means continuing to defend our rights, especially the right to express ourselves freely."

"Stop Pollution": A direct legacy of 2011

The Stop Pollution citizens' movement, which emerged in 2012, is a pure product of the post-Ben Ali era. For Khayreddine Debaya, spokesperson for the collective, the population's ability to mobilize permanently is one of the few concrete achievements of the revolution.

"We will fight to exercise this right to protest to the very end." — Khayreddine Debaya

Current issues

Citizens' demands	Political situation
Dismantling of the GCT's polluting units.	Massive support for President Saïed in Tunis (2,000 to 4,000 people).
Right to a healthy environment.	Centralization of power and focus on December 17th as a national holiday.
A court decision is expected on December 25th.	Difficulty in nationalizing the environmental cause of Gabès.

While the country remains polarized between support for the current government and the

With social demands unmet, the city of Gabès is now waiting for December 25th. On that day, the courts are expected to rule on a possible suspension of the Tunisian Chemical Group's activities, a verdict that will have a significant impact on the region's environmental future.