On 17 December a young Tunisian man set himself on fire in protest at poverty, lack of jobs and police harassment.

The act of this desperate man struck a chord. Mass protests followed. By the end of December the popular mobilisations had spread to the capital, Tunis. The nasty, brutal dictatorship of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali – in power for the previous 23 years – struck back, killing dozens and arresting and torturing many more. The state shut universities and schools in an attempt to stop students organising. At the same time Ben Ali attempted to offer economic and political concessions aiming to split and calm the movement.

Workers’ strikes have taken place. The Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT) has emerged as one of the centres of opposition to the regime. On Wednesday 12 January the police stormed the UGTT’s headquarters.

Hamma Hammami, the leader of the banned Tunisian Workers’ Communist Party, was arrested at his home near Tunis after his party called on the people to form an alternative government (it has been reported that he has since been released).

President Ben Ali fled the country on Friday 14 January. He appears to have been pushed out by the army, which now has tanks on the streets as it scrambles to put together a credible and functioning government. Meanwhile the mobilisations appear to be continuing.

The US and the UK have called for calm and are clearly worried about the threat to regional stability. In the past their criticisms of the Tunisian state have been muted, seeing Ben Ali as an ally against Islamism.

The threat of Islamism is real.

Socialists must back working-class self-organisation and a consistent fight for democracy and workers’ rights in Tunisia.

Other governments in the area are watching with alarm. In neighbouring Algeria protests have taken place against high unemployment and rising costs of food. Reports suggest five people were killed last weekend. Protesters set fires and hurled stones at police in Algiers on Wednesday and Thursday. Security forces responded with tear gas. The Algerian government has also offered concessions, saying it will take measures to reduce prices.