🇹🇳TunisiaNorth Africa
Official 5% inflation rate in Tunisia does not reflect public sentiment, economist Moez Snoussi explains
via Business News5 min read
While Tunisia's National Institute of Statistics INS officially reported an inflation rate of 5% in March 2026, many Tunisians perceive a much higher surge in daily prices. Economist Moez Snoussi, speaking on Express FM on Thursday, April 16, 2026, clarified that the 5% figure represents an annual change, comparing prices from March 2026 to March 2025, rather than a monthly increase. He explained that this distinction is often misunderstood and contributes to the public's confusion. Snoussi attributed the discrepancy between official figures and public sentiment to the methodology used for calculating inflation. The price index relies on an average consumption basket, which may not accurately reflect individual household spending habits. Essential expenses, such as food, can experience significant price hikes but have a limited weight in the overall calculation. Consequently, even if official inflation remains contained, the cost of living can appear to soar. Snoussi emphasized that this public perception is legitimate and stems directly from methodological choices. He further highlighted the limitations of the reference basket, noting that certain significant expenses, like residential investment and housing construction, are excluded. Snoussi advocated for a revision of this indicator to better reflect the reality of household expenditures. He also mentioned other inflation measurement approaches, such as the GDP deflator, which covers all goods and services produced in the
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Abir Moussi, president of the Free Destourian Party PDL, released a letter on Thursday, May 8, 2026, from detention, addressing Tunisians about her judicial situation and what she perceives as a deviation affecting several state institutions. Moussi, an attorney and political opponent, claims the prison administration has so far refused to deduct the period of her pre-trial detention, which began on October 3, 2023, from her sentence. She states that the ten-year sentence in the "reception desk" case has not yet begun to be counted by the prison administration. Moussi asserts she was informed that all her convictions would conclude in 2036, despite the months already spent in pre-trial detention. She views this as a violation of Article 15 of the Penal Code, which mandates the deduction of pre-trial detention from the final sentence, unless explicitly decided otherwise by the court. The PDL leader also claims no official document, written decision, or legal basis has been provided to justify the non-inclusion of her detention since October 2023. She believes her situation transcends a simple judicial dispute and is part of a "political persecution" aimed at permanently depriving her of political and civic rights. Moussi intends to continue her fight through "institutional channels," including appeals, official correspondence, and complaints to various state institutions. She has contacted the Parliament presidency, the Provisional Superior Council of the Judiciary, and the In
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Must ReadTunisian swimmer Habiba Belghith secured her third gold medal at the African Swimming Championships in Oran, Algeria, on Friday, May 8, 2026. She won the 50-meter breaststroke, completing an impressive continental hat-trick after previously dominating the 100-meter and 200-meter breaststroke events. The Tunisian Swimming Federation celebrated her achievement, hailing her as the "queen of African swimming" for her dominant performance across the three main breaststroke distances. Belghith's success has positioned Tunisia at the forefront of continental swimming and highlights the emergence of a new generation of high-level competitors. Her consistent performance and impressive dynamic have established her as a prominent figure in both Tunisian and African swimming.
Must ReadThe International Monetary Fund IMF has issued a serious warning that artificial intelligence AI could be the catalyst for the next major global financial crisis. In a note published on May 7, 2026, and through various statements in Washington, the IMF highlighted the exponential increase in risks posed by AI-powered cyberattacks. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stated that the international community currently lacks the collective means to protect the global monetary system from such massive attacks, urging central banks to cooperate urgently. The IMF is particularly concerned about the collapse of technical barriers that previously limited sophisticated cyberattacks. Powerful AI tools could soon enable less skilled actors or criminal groups to launch offensives capable of destabilizing entire financial infrastructures. One specific concern is "Claude Mythos Preview," an AI model developed by Anthropic, which is reportedly capable of detecting and exploiting IT vulnerabilities at unprecedented speed and scale. Its performance has caused a shockwave in cybersecurity circles and among high-level American financial authorities, leading to a crisis meeting in Washington. The IMF fears that a localized attack could become systemic because the global financial system relies on extreme technological concentration, including shared cloud providers, software infrastructures, digital platforms, and potentially AI models. A single vulnerability could simultaneously compromis