Tunisia | Government Continues to Borrow to Pay Public Workers' Salaries

✅ Good News — Flash Radio shares this positive update with you. The 2027 budget plan reveals an unprecedented strategy: the Tunisian government plans to mobilize 26.722 billion dinars in loans to fund salaries, while the economy struggles to recover. A choice that raises questions about the management of public resources and long-term growth. ⏱️ 1 min read Facts and recent developments. This dynamic fits into a historical context of public sector expansion, fueled by decades of mass employment policies. The economic crisis, exacerbated by a high unemployment rate and dependence on international aid, has pushed the government to prioritize job stability over investment. This approach, although temporarily reassuring, weakens economic competitiveness and fuels a cycle of dependence on borrowing. In a Mediterranean context marked by similar challenges, the comparison with Morocco, which manages 575,000 civil servants for a population three times larger, highlights a structural inadequacy. The Tunisian model, by clinging to an oversized public sector, undermines the modernization and digitalization promoted by the government. This situation reignites the question of structural reforms, including cost optimization and reduction of redundant positions, to restore vigor to an economy in decline. The upcoming plenary sessions, scheduled for November 2026, must address urgent expectations. The central question is whether the government will opt for a reallocation of budget priorities or embark on an increasing debt spiral. A bold reform, combining spending rationalization and sectoral stimulation, seems essential to avoid a crisis that threatens both the economy and public trust in institutions.