Protests persist in Algeria as interim president faces end of term
Algerian Interim President Abdelkader Bensalah’s three-month term comes to an end today.
Mr Bensalah was installed after protestors ousted Former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April. Public pressure postponed presidential elections, slated for July 4, and compelled the creation of a “government of national unity” to write a new constitution, though this has not been completed yet.
Protestors continue to demand a complete overhaul of the political system and the ouster of influential military and business leaders close to the former president. Free and democratic elections within six months of Mr Bensalah’s instalment as president have also been demanded along with the establishment of independent institutions, free from the sway of influential military and business leaders.
The military and established politicians have slowly but surely acquiesced to the demands of protestors over the last three months. They are likely to continue to do so to maintain general stability in the country.
A complete overhaul of the political system remains unlikely should figures from the Bouteflika era continue to play a prominent role in the governance of the country. In the meantime, expect Mr Bensalah’s call for a national dialogue to continue to receive pushback.
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