Protests in the Most Dangerous Countries: Tunisia, Venezuela and India Witness Major Protests Over Democracy and Living Conditions

Protests erupted across multiple countries on Thursday including Tunisia, France, Venezuela and India as demonstrators clashed with police or demanded political changes amid economic and democratic concerns in the most dangerous countries.

Tunisia Sees Clashes Amid Economic Crisis

Tunisian police clashed with protesters in the capital and southern towns following deaths linked to security forces or delayed medical aid, coinciding with a deepening economic, social and political crisis. [1] The conflicts on Thursday coincide with a deepening economic, social and political crisis in the country, heightening fears of a wider wave of violent protests as anger grows over deteriorating living conditions and poor public services. [1] The man's family said he died as a result of violence by police officers after his arrest, calling for the circumstances of his death to be clarified and those responsible to be held accountable. [1] Local media, however, reported that he died after swallowing drugs. [1] Protesters blocked roads, burned tyres and threw stones at police. [1] Security forces responded by firing tear gas, while seeking to secure a National Guard station in the area. [1] Earlier on Thursday, police clashed with protesters in the southern town of Jebeniana following the death of a man who his relatives say died during a security chase. [1] The city of Agareb, also in Sfax governorate, witnessed similar clashes. [1] In the city of Sfax, students protested on Thursday over the death of a female student who suffered a cardiac problem. [1] Her colleagues said ambulance personnel took too long to arrive, citing a lack of medical facilities, and called for a strike at Sfax's faculties on Friday. [1] Thousands of Tunisians joined the largest protest against President Kais Saied in years in the capital on Saturday, accusing him of undermining democracy and mishandling the economy in a growing challenge to his rule. [1]

French Leaders Prepare for Student and Cost-of-Living Protests

French President Emmanuel Macron met with student representatives and held a defence council ahead of planned nationwide protests over teacher shortages, rundown schools and rising cost of living, with some cities banning demonstrations. [2] French President Emmanuel Macron is meeting with high school student representatives Friday for the first time since the month-long student protests over teacher shortages and run-down schools began. [2] The president is also holding a "defence council" to prepare for Saturday's planned demonstrations. [2] Lyon and Marseille banned all demonstrations on Saturday ahead of a new round of planned nationwide protests against France's rising cost of living. [2] French President Emmanuel Macron said after meeting with intelligence services that all demonstrations not organised by workers unions would be banned. [2] French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu met with representatives from France's political parties. [2] Manuel Bompard, party coordinator of the left-wing France Unbowed, accused the premier of having wasted their time by refusing to address the demands of the weeks-long student protest movement. [2] A French administrative court suspended a Paris police order banning a demonstration organised by university students. [2] Hundreds of students took part in the peaceful march. [2]

Venezuelans Demand Elections in Nationwide Rallies

Thousands participated in the first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years, demanding free elections and political changes with notably limited security force presence. [3] Supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado shout slogans during a rally to demand elections in Caracas on Thursday. [3] Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets on Thursday in the first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years, as demonstrators demanded free elections and other political changes with a notably thin presence of security forces. [3] The United States has been working closely with the interim government led by acting President Delcy Rodriguez since U.S. forces captured President Nicolas Maduro in January. [3] Both U.S. President Donald Trump and Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy, have said there will be elections but have not set a date either for a legislative vote or a national contest for president. [3] Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado, who has been outside the country for nearly a year after living in hiding following a contested 2024 election, has said elections must take place by July 2027. [3] Protests demanding elections and political change erupt across Venezuela. [4] Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets Thursday to demand elections, as the country’s opposition held its first nationwide demonstrations in nearly two years. [4] Protests took place in the capital, Caracas, and several other cities, including Valencia, Maracay, San Cristóbal and Maracaibo. [4] The presence of security forces was limited. [4]

Indian Groups March Against Election Commissioner and Voter Roll Changes

The 'People Against SIR' group organized nationwide marches in cities including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata to demand removal of the Chief Election Commissioner and repeal of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. [5] The ‘People Against SIR’ group will hold nationwide marches today, with demonstrations scheduled to take place in the afternoon in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur and several other regions across the country. [5] The march has been called to "restore democracy", demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and press for the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. [5] Among the prominent figures invited to join the march include CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, actor Prakash Raj, student leaders Neha Bora and Aishe Ghosh, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and activist Tushar Gandhi. [5] The platform has planned a “No SIR” campaign under the slogan “Har Gali Jantar Mantar, Har Gaon Jantar Mantar, Mera Ghar Jantar Mantar”. [5] The People Against SIR group was formed on October 14 at Surjeet Bhavan in New Delhi by groups representing farmers, workers, women, students, Adivasis, Dalits and minorities. [5] The platform has alleged that the SIR exercise is illegal and demanded that the voter lists be reset to their pre-2024 version and updated through social audits as laid down in the Election Commission Manual and CAG guidelines. [5] Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said any fresh impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar would be examined in accordance with the laid-down procedures. [5] Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge demanded the scrapping of the 2023 law granting immunity to election commissioners, accusing the Centre of undermining the poll body's independence and seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. [5]

Global Pattern of Unrest Over Living Conditions and Democracy in the Most Dangerous Countries

The conflicts on Thursday coincide with a deepening economic, social and political crisis in the country, heightening fears of a wider wave of violent protests as anger grows over deteriorating living conditions and poor public services. [1] French President Emmanuel Macron is meeting with high school student representatives Friday for the first time since the month-long student protests over teacher shortages and run-down schools began. [2] The president is also holding a "defence council" to prepare for Saturday's planned demonstrations. [2] Thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets on Thursday in the first nationwide opposition protest in nearly two years, as demonstrators demanded free elections and other political changes with a notably thin presence of security forces. [3] The demonstrations are scheduled for the afternoon in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Jaipur, and several other regions across the country. [5]

What to watch next: French President Emmanuel Macron holds a defence council to prepare for Saturday's planned demonstrations while opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has said elections must take place by July 2027.