EU accused of whitewashing Tunisian regime in bid to stem migration

Bloc is set to give country £1bn despite rapid erosion of democracy since President Saied took power in 2021

The children of prominent jailed Tunisian judges and politicians have accused the European Union of betraying its values by whitewashing the regime of President Kais Saied in the vain hope that he can stem the flow of migrants to Europe.

The EU is set to provide Tunisia with €1bn in aid despite the obliteration of democracy in the country over the past two years. The aid is partly contingent on the president accepting reforms linked to a $1.9bn International Monetary Fund (IMF) package, a move Saied has been attempting to defer.