As January comes to a close and salaries and pensions have been paid across various sectors without any noticeable increase, questions are mounting over the wage hikes предусмотрed by the 2026 Finance Law: what will be their value and when will they take effect?
In an exclusive statement to Tunisie Numérique, social security expert Hédi Dahmane clarified that the Finance Law for 2026 does not specify either the implementation date or the financial value of these increases. Instead, the law establishes the general principle of salary raises for 2026, 2027, and 2028, benefiting public service employees, the public and private sectors, as well as retirees.
No official start date
According to Dahmane, suggestions that the increases would begin on January 1 are merely interpretations of the legal text. The Finance Law does not explicitly mention the start of the administrative year but refers only to raises “for the years” concerned.
He explained that the effective rollout will depend on a decree expected from the Minister of Social Affairs, which should define the financial impact, determine the amounts, and outline how the increases will be distributed between the public and private sectors. Retirees, he noted, are subject to specific regulations that set percentage adjustments for each pension category.
Amounts remain uncertain
The expert stressed that current figures circulating in public debate are speculative. Some analysts anticipate that the increases will be linked to inflation, the rising cost of living, and economic growth, while others compare them to adjustments granted between 2023 and 2025.
During parliamentary discussions of the draft Finance Law, a 7% increase was mentioned, though subsequent interpretations referenced inflation at around 5%, suggesting that any raise would likely not fall below that threshold. However, no official authority has confirmed these estimates.
Call for clearer implementation
Dahmane emphasized that authorities remain cautious about announcing specific rates or amounts. Even if a percentage is eventually set, he recommends defining the financial effect through a formal decree — potentially with retroactive effect — to avoid uncertainty.
He also highlighted the need for transparent distribution across professions and sectors, a task expected to fall to technical committees based on the allocations that the Ministry of Finance will include in the state budget.
Limited prospects for social dialogue
For the public sector, the state will bear responsibility for implementing the measure, likely without prior social negotiations. Dahmane pointed out that no social dialogue preceded the decision to enshrine the increases in the 2026–2028 Finance Law, making further negotiations over distribution unlikely.
In the private sector, however, consultations with employers remain necessary under sectoral agreements that govern discussions between the government and social partners.
Government to determine the timeline
Dahmane concluded that the Tunisian government, which approved the increases in principle, will ultimately decide the effective date based on the funds allocated in the state budget. As such, references to a January rollout are interpretative; the raises could just as easily begin mid-year or even in the final quarter, pending the regulatory decree from the Ministry of Social Affairs.
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