Algerians skeptical of the military state’s new civilian figurehead
The protest movement that took down Abdelaziz Bouteflika is keeping the pressure on his replacement, Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
ALGIERS, Algeria — Five days after his election as Algeria's new president, it's clear Abdelmadjid Tebboune will not be enjoying any kind of honeymoon period.
Following the election Dec. 12-13, Algerians returned to the streets to show their determination for a complete overhaul of the ruling political class. Protesters view Tebboune, who briefly served as prime minister in 2017, as a way for the political-military regime to present a new facade while stopping far short of the overhaul protesters have sought since toppling President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April.
The ongoing protests underscore that the election did not answer the fundamental demands of the Hirak (meaning Movement, in Arabic), the peaceful anti-government campaign that emerged Feb. 22 in response to Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term.
For the first time in Algeria's history, calls for an active boycott have found traction, and all signs point to protesters refusing to “go back home,” as the government ordered. Friday’s violent repression of demonstrators in Oran outraged the country, even as Tebboune called for a “dialogue” with the Hirak.
