Algerian demonstrations continued after Thursday’s election between five Bouteflika-era candidates
Monthslong protests have been invigorated by the Algerian electoral commission’s proclamation Friday that Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the former prime minister, would become the country’s next president.
Tebboune is a protégé of Ahmed Gaid Salah, who in effect heads Algeria’s day-to-day operations since the former leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down in April. Salah was a part of the previous dictator’s regime before he called for Bouteflika’s resignation earlier this year.
The new president defeated four other candidates affiliated with the old guard, including fellow former prime minister Ali Benflis, in the December 12 election that had been previously rescheduled twice this year.
Only 40% of eligible voters showed up to the polls, which set a new record for lowest turnout in an Algerian election with more than one political faction participating.
“How do we take the president [seriously] when the majority of Algerians didn’t even go to vote?” a protester who requested to be identified only as Myriam for security reasons, asked The Media Line. “He was part of the corrupted system and we demanded that none of them have power.”
Tebboune’s direct overtures to the demonstrators seemed to fall on deaf ears, as he announced Friday his willingness to sit down and talk with them
“He’s calling now for a [discourse] with the Hirak [protest movement] and some of us are convinced but not the majority,” Myriam said.
Imene, a 27-year-old doctor and protester, who also declined to give her last name out of fear for her safety, told The Media Line: “The election was organized against the will of the people and the process of the election was illegitimate.”
“We won’t accept him as president,” she continued. “We accept him as the face of the system.”
Though the protesters were not happy with any of the candidates, Tebboune might still be beholden to some of their demands.
Zine Labidine Ghebouli, an Algeria political analyst, contends that any discussion between the two sides must be predated by presidential action.
“Before any dialogue, the new president will be required to make some moves, like releasing political detainees and granting limited freedom of the press [and] expression,” he told The Media Line
Ghebouli believes that Tebboune is making grand gestures to the protesters because the success of his presidency depends on this demographic.
“Tebboune understands he cannot rule with weekly protests in the streets and that is why he will attempt to appease the opposition as much as possible,” he said.
However, Ghebouli says that ushering in an era of peace in Algeria will take time. The next president will have to maneuver between satisfying the demonstrators’ wishes and the demands of the military, which has entrenched political interests in keeping the government the same. All of this, combined with a large segment of the population rejecting the electoral process and outcome, means that Algeria’s toughest times are still ahead.
“I believe Algeria will still be living under tensions for the next couple of years. Politically, the country will need some time to stabilize and economically, the country’s situation is quite critical,” he said.
“Algeria’s future post-elections is more complicated and [riskier than] before the elections,” he said.