the Demonstrations are the largest in the country since the so-called arab spring of 2011 is directed against Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the 82-year-old president who ruled Algeria for nearly 20 years.
Since Bouteflika suffered a severe stroke six years ago, he has been in a wheelchair and very rarely shown to the public – according to the rumour he is in principle unable to make decisions. Nevertheless, it seems the president is prepared to stand for a fifth term in the elections held if more than six weeks, on the 18th of april. Despite the fact that such a candidacy lacks support in the constitution.
with the slagrörde the president in another five years, has received the young Algeria to go on the streets, even if it formally is demonstrationsförbud.
According to eyewitnesses, as the DN been in contact with had Friday’s protest has grown in size considerably compared with the week before. Also in the other major algerian cities, like Oran, Contantine and Setif held demonstrations, reports Reuters news agency.
Behind the protests is a loose-knit network of young people that keep in touch via social media. The demonstrators urge each other not to use violence and chanting the slogan ”Peaceful, peaceful” and ”Farewell Bouteflika”.
On the streets of Algae also can be heard the chant that came to be upprorsmakarnas hejarop during the so-called arab spring, eight years ago: ”Ash-sha’b yourid isqat al-nithaam” – ” the People want the regime to fall”.
Despite the non-våldsprofilen there was stone throwing at Friday’s protests in Algiers, something that was met with tear gas by utkommenderad riot police. According to agency reporting occurred, however, no serious incidents or injuries.
the popular uprisings in north Africa and the Middle east in 2011 never reached Algeria. The time managed to president Bouteflika appease the dissatisfaction with a mixture of lämpor and hot. The prices of basic commodities were reduced and the two decades-long state of emergency was abolished.
his grip on the country, and the media are kept in continued strypkoppel. In the last pressfrihetsindexet from Reporter without borders Algeria on the place 136 out of 180 countries.
In recent years, dissatisfaction with the country’s leadership run riot. The young population – half of the 41 million inhabitants are under 30 – is frustrated over the widespread corruption and high unemployment. Algeria is extremely dependent on exports of oil and natural gas, and in recent years the declining world market price of oil has hit the economy hard.
There is a concern among both power apparatus and within the secular storstadsbefolkningen that islamism must get a new foothold in Algeria. Between 1992 and 2002, raged a bloody civil war in the country where the regime managed to quell the militant islamic movement GIA (Armed islamic group). But the price for suppression was high: over 200,000 people were killed during the ten years the war lasted.