SIDI BOUZID, TUNISIA // Tunisians are planning a day of peaceful protests in the birthplace of the Arab Spring on Tuesday to vent their anger at new rulers they say have failed to improve their lives. The call for protests comes just after the Tunisian Industry Minister, Mehdi Jomaa, was selected as premier-designate to lead the country out of crisis.
Three years ago on December 17, the self-immolation of 26-year-old street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi in the impoverished central town of Sidi Bouzid unleashed a wave of protest across the North African country.
His tragic act, aimed at attracting attention to economic hardship and repression, was the fuse for uprisings across the region.
But three years on, unemployment in Tunisia remains stuck at 15 per cent, with little prospect of improvement as the country remains gripped by political crisis.
“Tuesday will be a day of rage and protests against the policies of the government which did not keep to its word and betrayed the promises of the revolution,” said activist Youssef Jlili.
It is against this backdrop that parties on Saturday chose Mr Jomaa to head a government of independent figures aiming to rescue the North African nation from months of political stalemate.
According to a deal clinched between Tunisia’s main parties in October, the new premier now has 15 days to form a government.
However, this time frame has not been confirmed, and Mr Jomaa himself has not yet made any public comment.
He also faces the weighty task of organising elections in 2014.
Mr Jomaa is a 51-year-old engineer with no stated political affiliation. As the industry minister, he lobbied European firms to invest in the country, plagued by economic woes since the ouster of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali nearly three years ago.
But he has also taken the unpopular step of backing a decision to raise fuel prices next year.
The Ennahda party led a coalition government since Tunisia held its first ever democratic elections in October 2011.
According to Mahmoud Baroudi of the Democratic Alliance, an opposition movement to Ennahda, Mr Jomaa “is competent and independent enough to take on the post of premier”.
But another opposition party, Nidaa Tounes, which boycotted Saturday’s vote, rejected the idea of a premier who was part of the outgoing government.
Issam Chebbi, a leader of the party, said Jomaa would “not be a prime minister of consensus”.
If Mr Jomaa does succeed in forming a government of independents, the task of the new prime minister will be far from easy.
But the fact his roots are not hard set in the fractious world of Tunisian politics could in the end work in his favour.
* Agence France-Presse
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
'Gold'
Director:Anthony Hayes
Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes
Rating:3/5
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
