On sixth anniversary of 2011 popular uprising 14 Jan, citizens protested high unemployment in several cities including Ben Guerdane (south) and Sidi Bouzid (centre) leading to clashes with police. In Gafsa (centre) some demonstrators reportedly blocked road and stoned convoy of President Essebsi; Essebsi same day announced development projects. Social unrest calmed after 20 Jan negotiations between protestors and political parties. Tensions with Germany emerged following 19 Dec Berlin attack by undocumented Tunisian migrant; after accusing govt 21 Dec of not cooperating in return of Tunisian illegal migrants, Germany 8 Jan threatened to cut development aid to countries that do not take back illegal migrants.

Govt 2 Dec said security forces dismantled 160 jihadist cells in first ten months of 2016. Security forces 29 Dec said they dismantled al-Qaeda-linked militant cell active near Sousse. Tunisian engineer Mohamed Zaouari, responsible for developing drones for Palestinian Hamas’s Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, killed in Sfax (east) 15 Dec. Hamas 17 Dec accused Israel of directing killing, security forces arrested several people for suspected involvement. National Security Director General Abdelrahman Haji Ali 15 Dec resigned, reportedly in protest at presidency’s interference in interior ministry. Parliament 10 Dec adopted 2017 budget without proposed amendments to reduce tax evasion and postpone civil service salary increases, following protests by unions. Govt 14 Dec said British oil and gas company Petrofac would halt gas production after two weeks of renewed protests on Kerkennah island by people seeking jobs in company.

Islamic State (IS) claimed 5 Nov killing of soldier and 14 Nov landmine blast that wounded six soldiers in NW. Govt 8 Nov said security forces killed prominent figure of IS-linked group Jund al-Khilafa in central region. President Essebsi 7 Nov signed new national counter-terrorism strategy; 22 Nov said U.S. surveillance drones flying over Tunisian-Libyan border to ward off IS attacks. PM Chahed 4 Nov sacked religious affairs minister after latter said Saudi Arabia’s Wahhabism behind “terrorism and extremism”. First public hearings of victims of human rights violations under former Ben Ali regime (1987-2011) took place in Tunis 17-18 Nov, also televised.

Under pressure from IMF to cut spending, govt 14 Oct sent 2017 budget law to parliament for approval; budget will freeze wage increases for one year in public sector despite opposition of trade union federation and raise indirect taxes for lawyers and physicians. Court 16 Oct said security forces had dismantled 62-member Islamist militant cell that was planning attacks against security officials and senior govt official, reportedly Interior Minister Hedi Majdoub. President Essebsi 18 Oct extended state of emergency for three months until Jan 2017.

Protests and labour activism disrupted first weeks in office of PM Youssef Chahed’s national unity govt. Govt 21 Sept said British oil and gas company Petrofac started to shut down local operations after months of protests by people seeking jobs disrupted gas output, 23 Sept said it reached deal with company and protesters to resume activity.

President Essebsi 3 Aug named Nida Tounes (NT) party member Youssef Chahed as PM following 30 July parliamentary vote of no confidence in PM Essid. Chahed 20 Aug named 26 ministers and fourteen secretaries of state, including representatives of six major parties and independents. Parliament 26 Aug passed vote of confidence in govt even though NT MPs and Islamist An-Nahda party members 20-21 Aug expressed reservations about cabinet composition. New govt took office 29 Aug. Jihadist attack on Mount Semmama (NW) same day killed three soldiers, wounded seven. Police 31 Aug killed two Islamist militants in Karma near Algerian border, one civilian died in clash.

Parliament 30 July passed vote of no confidence in PM Essid, govt expected to resign. Essid mid-July said he would not yield to pressure from President Essebsi to step down, asked that constitutional process be followed through parliamentary vote. Nine political parties and three major trade unions 13 July, after month of negotiations, signed Carthage Declaration laying out priorities of future unity govt. Govt 20 July said it had dismantled cell linked to Islamic State planning attacks in Sousse in NE; army 28 July said it killed two militants in Jendouba area, one soldier wounded. Govt 19 July extended nationwide state of emergency for two months.

President Essebsi 2 June called for national unity govt to help advance economic reforms and calm social tensions, consulted political parties and civil society groups throughout month. Main labour union UGTT 3 June supported initiative but rejected his call to participate in new govt. PM Essid 13 June said he would not leave post, 17 June said he would leave post only after political parties and civil society agree on unity govt. Islamist An-Nahda party said that, as largest party in parliament, it should have more ministries in new govt. Current govt seen as likely to continue as AnNahda’s opponents, including in Essebsi’s Nida Tounes party, oppose it having greater role. Clashes between two tribes over control of collective land in south 3 June killed two, wounded 26, including six security forces. Essebsi 20 June extended for one month state of emergency imposed after Nov 2015 bomb attack on bus in Tunis.

Four security personnel and two suspected Islamist fighters killed 11 May during anti-terrorist operation in south. Security forces same day killed two suspected Islamist fighters near Tunis, arrested sixteen others. Social unrest, including strike 11 May, erupted in southern Ben Guerdane after Libyan authorities late April halted freight traffic through Ras Jedir border post to stop smuggling.

Security forces 7 April killed two alleged jihadists in NW. IMF 15 April agreed in principle to four-year $2.8bn loan to support economic reforms. Police violently repressed protests early April on Kerkennah island against British oil company Petrofac over jobs it pledged for youth, provoked riots that led to army replacing police and national guard.