The 'Largest' Protest Against Bouteflika in Algeria

Hundreds of thousands of people protested on Friday, March 15, in the center of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. This is the largest protest against the 20-year rule of Abdelaziz Bouteflika since the unrest began in the country a month ago. According to Reuters, demonstrators gathered and marched in the streets and main squares of the city after Friday prayers, many of them carrying the three-colored Algerian flag. Similar protests were held in other cities across the country, including Bejaia, Oran, Batna, and Tizi Ouzou. After Bouteflika's retreat, protesters in Algeria called for rapid changes. On Monday, after several weeks of protests, Mr. Bouteflika withdrew from the presidential election but did not resign from his position, stating that he would remain in power until a new constitution was drafted. Protesters quickly rejected his proposal and demanded that the 82-year-old ailing president transfer power swiftly to a new generation of politicians who can tackle widespread unemployment and financial and political corruption. In recent days, following Mr. Bouteflika's return from treatment in Geneva, several of his allies have joined the opposition. A senior official from the National Liberation Front, the ruling party, stated in an interview with the Al-Nahar television network that aired on Thursday night, 'Bouteflika has now become history.' This statement from the senior official represents another defeat for Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has so far attempted to calm protesters with promises of political changes. Hossein Khaldoum, a former spokesperson for the ruling party and one of the senior officials of the National Liberation Front, has publicly opposed Mr. Bouteflika, stating that the party must look to the future and support the demands of the protesters. Mr. Bouteflika has rarely appeared in public since his stroke in 2013, and protesters argue that he is no longer capable of fulfilling his duties and leading the country. Noureddine Bedoui, the new Prime Minister of Algeria, stated on Thursday that a new government composed of technocrats and others would be formed to move towards a political transition and called on protesters to join these discussions. A former Algerian government minister, who requested anonymity, told Reuters that given the pressure from protesters, the president cannot continue this situation. He added, 'The game is over; Bouteflika has no option but to resign.' Algeria is a major oil and gas exporter, but so far, this export has not been affected by the recent month-long unrest. Many people in Algeria believe that the president and other veteran politicians from the independence war with France have ignored the people's demands for decades. The Algerian armed forces, which usually play a significant behind-the-scenes role in the country's politics, have not intervened in the unrest and have distanced themselves from Mr. Bouteflika. It is expected that the military and security institutions will maintain their power in all possible scenarios for Algeria's future. Algeria was not influenced by the political movements of 2011 known as the 'Arab Spring.' Bouteflika and his allies, who are skilled at controlling and diverting protest movements, have managed to keep the country calm by allocating part of the oil revenue to public needs, including providing low-interest loans and housing. Bouteflika and his political allies played a significant role in suppressing the uprising of Islamist groups in the 1990s, during which tens of thousands were killed. Many people in Algeria, especially older generations, accepted government repression as the price for peace and stability in the country.