Despite periods of growth and the resilience of certain key sectors, a large portion of Tunisians continues to feel a gap between the country’s economic performance and their daily reality. Persistent inflation, high unemployment, and falling purchasing power feed a broadly shared sentiment: the economy is functioning, but its benefits remain difficult for citizens to perceive.
This paradox is partly explained by structural imbalances. Wealth is concentrated in certain sectors or regions, while large swaths of the population remain on the margins of development dynamics. Territorial inequalities, fragility of the productive fabric, and the predominance of the informal sector limit the diffusion of economic gains.
In this context, the central question remains: why doesn’t growth translate more into a tangible improvement in living conditions? Between unfinished reforms, budget constraints and social challenges, understanding this gap has become essential to rethink a more inclusive economic model.
An economy with underexploited potential
Since the 2011 revolution, the Tunisian macroeconomic trajectory has been marked by moderate and irregular growth. Between 2011 and 2023, average GDP growth stood at around 1.5% per year, a pace insufficient to absorb a growing labor force. In the same context, the unemployment rate fluctuates between 15% and 16%, with levels exceeding 35% among young graduates.
