Ironically installed at 2 Place de l’Independance, in the heart of the capital, the French diplomatic representation has the effect of a symbol and attracts protesters, particularly during demonstrations in support of Gaza. For many residents, the embassy should move.
Since October 7 and the start of the war in Gaza, the area around the French embassy in Tunis has been the scene of recurring pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Located between Avenue Habib Bourguiba and Avenue de France, the building is often chosen for rallies, thus becoming the central point of these mobilizations. Despite the presence of the police, several thousand people gathered on Wednesday, October 18 in front of the building. These demonstrators converged there to express their solidarity with the Palestinians of Gaza as well as their dissatisfaction with French international policy.
Anti-French sentiment
The recurrent use of “anti-French sentiment” is a reality in the Tunisian public sphere. Whenever tensions emerge with the former colonial power, political and intellectual figures in Tunisia have a marked tendency to reactivate the concept of “Hizb el França” (party of France). This approach aims to denigrate their opponents and present them as a faction working for the former colonial regime, thus accusing them of being a force of influence harmful to independence and national sovereignty.
There, many Tunisians consider that their country, having acquired its independence decades ago, aspires to assert its sovereignty and its national identity without the shadow of past supervision. The location of the French embassy in the Tunisian capital is therefore interpreted as an element reminiscent of a time when the nation was under the protectorate of a foreign power, France.
For Amir, a trader in Tunis, it would be necessary to consider a change of location for the embassy, considered in the heart of the center of Tunis. “The French embassy must change location,” he insists. The place is symbolic, and having such a building here is giving too much importance to France. »
But if many Tunisians are hostile to the current location, it is also because it has directly impacted public transport and the flow of traffic in the capital. For several months now, the French embassy has benefited from reinforced security, following the demonstrations and facing a risk of overflow deemed significant by the government. Consequently, the circulation of one of the city’s tram lines was cut off on one of its most used sections, and thousands of daily users had to complete part of the journey on foot, due to a lack of of alternatives.
Daily consequences
According to Amir, it is this kind of impact on the lives of Tunisians that can be enough to fuel anti-French sentiment in the country: “The settler spirit is still there. The embassy is preventing people from going to work by blocking the entire road. We should not be surprised if citizens protest. We don’t need this kind of problem here. » On the social network X, numerous reactions reflect this feeling of hostility.
The choice of locating the French embassy on Independence Square also raises questions. The symbolism of this location is rooted in a period when Tunisia was under the protectorate, which left deep traces in Tunisian society. The very existence of the French embassy in this location crystallizes a complex memory, where the quest for independence and national dignity mixes with feelings of discomfort and reminders of a bygone era. For many, this situation is interpreted as an affront to this hard-won independence, recalling a past of subordination and foreign control.
In addition to its symbolic function, the embassy represents what, administratively, is considered a humiliation by many Tunisians: the complexity of visa application procedures for France, an experience often badly experienced by applicants. Appointments that are difficult to obtain, endless administrative procedures, and refusals without explanation are indeed commonplace.
Difficulties arise when trying to make an appointment on the TLScontact website, the private company acting as an intermediary on behalf of consulates and responsible for managing administrative formalities linked to visas. Between the delays in obtaining an appointment and the tedious preparation of the file, the process often turns into a real headache for applicants.
These administrative difficulties come in addition to the other reasons for discontent among the inhabitants of the capital but, specifies Amir, it is however more weariness than anger. “No one hates the French themselves,” he assures. We just no longer want to be under any influence, even less if it is that of France, which has decided for us for far too long.”
