Tunis — Candidate for the presidential election of October 6, 2024, Kaïs Saïed affirmed commitment to restoring the glory of the public health, education, transport and social security services, which have been undermined one after the other for decades in an attempt to destroy them.
"It is high time to build a prosperous national economy, rebuild public institutions and establishments, and introduce new legislation that will help the State resume its social role."
In his election manifesto published on Sunday, incumbent President Kaïs Saïed, who is seeking a new mandate, stated that "the challenges are many and the determination to meet them is still high and strong."
"We will not hesitate to take up every challenge to clean up the country and iron out all obstacles, whatever their importance or origin," he said.
Not least among these challenges, he added, is that of guaranteeing the right to decent and fair employment, achieving stability at work and respecting the legitimate right of every person to a decent life.
"Half-solutions will not be accepted," he affirmed.
"We are going to rely first and foremost on our own resources, especially as the country abounds in wealth," he stated.
With regard to the July 25, 2021 measures, Kaïs Saïed said that they had been taken in a bid to "preserve social peace."
At that time, he explained, we had been moving 'on minefields' and every decision had been difficult to make.
Moreover, connections had been found between several criminal circles in Tunisia and abroad (...) The day may come when many details will be revealed and revelations will be made about deception, treachery and betrayal.
He added that faced with the plundering of wealth, the embezzlement of funds, the increase in the scourges of corruption, terrorism and violence, and the infiltration of the state apparatus with a view to imploding it, it had been necessary to make "an historic decision" to save the country and meet the expectations of Tunisian citizens as regards their right to a decent and honourable life that guarantees rights and freedoms.
"Tunisians also had to join forces on the path of struggle for national liberation (...), a path of no return that led straight to July 25, 2021," he indicated.
Referring to certain protesters, whom he described as "sold-out and servile voices," Kaïs Saïed pointed out that they are calling for freedom and democracy even though they are exercising their right to protest freely on a daily basis and without any police intervention.
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Regarding Palestine, Kaïs Saïed said that it is a sacred duty to stand firm and unwavering against the Zionist occupation forces.
"We must stand by the Palestinian people unconditionally in order to recover their legitimate right to establish an independent State," he insisted.
Kaïs Saïed also paid tribute to Tunisia's martyrs who had fallen for independence and for freedom, work and dignity, as well as to the armed and security forces 'who had fought valiantly against all forms of crime,' he added.
He called on all Tunisians to "choose freely (...) to continue the struggle for the liberation of the homeland and to achieve the people's expectations."
