Algeria in Revolt (they want Linux not a 'Windows Update')

[goldenequity]

A Nation of 42 Million
Algiers: Protesters persist in Algeria's capital to demand the immediate resignation of 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.




He was forced to announce 'dropping his bid' for a fifth term. (He became foreign minister at the age of 25)






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►Just go here:

https://twitter.com/weddady/status/1106678969548574721





President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is hospitalized in Switzerland - his true health condition is unknown.

[goldenequity]

Said Bouteflika (President's brother) believed to be the country's real puppet master and ruler.








"No To Bouteflika & His Derivatives" - meaning the regime trying to refine itself (a subtle hint to Algeria's plundered energy wealth)

[goldenequity]

https://twitter.com/weddady/status/1106276577501949953

[goldenequity]

thanks to the Algerian people, Dictators civilian & military all across Arab lands are shaking in their jackboots thanks to you. People are hopeful again all over.








this historic victory by the Algerian people remains fragile, and the risks are enormous for the regime to simulate leaving while re-entering through the backdoor






hot potato: right now, there aren't legions of serious viable successors to Bouteflika racing to the table to replace him.

People still remember vividly what happened Mohamed Boudiaf. The military brought him to lead, then he got assassinated.








the situation is best summarized by this cartoon by Algerian cartoonist @DilemAli "I give up on a 5th term, but I'll instead do a 4th term of 10 years"
Meaning that the system isn't entirely out of the picture, and will try to stick around for a "transition"







Bread & Circuses? No thanks...
a major football match in the Algerian football league saw the stadium almost empty. The team's fan account had a sarcastic comment: "Don't have a wedding when your mom is sick" which is an Algerian proverb

[goldenequity]

the rejection of Buteflika running for a 5th term isn't only about him, but regime pillars like PM Ahmed Ouyahia







"The People Want: Ctrl Alt Del"










a sign capturing the global zeitgeist - Most media in Algeria is NOT free. either controlled by the State or regime tycoons.

[goldenequity]

https://twitter.com/Ozkok_/status/1107038037597409281

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria is now a month in to mass "Arab Spring"-style protests, which have brought a record number of people into the streets demanding the removal of ailing 82-year old president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and now it appears the military is prepared to act against the two-decade long ruler who has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.
In a dramatic development on Tuesday, Algeria's army chief has called for the invocation of a constitutional clause declaring the office of the presidency vacant.


General Ahmed Gaid Salah, who also serves as the country’s deputy defense minister, said in a live speech broadcast on private television station Ennahar that the protesters' demands that he not run for a fifth term were "legitimate".
This includes a demand that he vacate altogether, given it's widely perceived that he's physically unable to carry out presidential functions, and has not given a public address to the nation in over five years.
"To resolve the crisis [in the country] right now, the implementation of article 102 is necessary and is the only guarantee to maintain a peaceful political situation," Gen. Salah said according to CNN. "These protests have continued up till now in a peaceful and civilized way ... and could be exploited by parties with bad intentions inside and outside of Algeria," the general added.
Mass protests have destabilized the country and grabbed international headlines ahead of upcoming April 18 elections. President Bouteflika has refused to relinquish power thus far, but as demonstrations consistently overtook entire city centers this month during demonstrations, especially in the capital of Algiers, he agreed to not seek a fifth term.

However it remains that:

Article 102 stipulates that in the case of the president's inability to carry out his duties due to a serious or chronic illness, the head of the national assembly should take his place for a period of no more than 45 days.

Algerians have grown increasingly frustrated that an apparently incapacitated Bouteflika has allowed the country to be ruled by an unelected civilian-military elite.

#AlgeriaProtests: "Next Friday will be a major test for the movement"

Akram Kharief, #Algerian journalist pic.twitter.com/WG8q5nbDQt
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) March 26, 2019

The protests have now apparently been given official sanction by the army, which is a huge milestone likely to push Bouteflika out of power. According to The New York Times:

There were signs that the country’s institutions were reacting with alacrity to the general’s call, unsurprising given the preponderant role the army has always played in the country’s politics. On Tuesday afternoon, Algerian television reported that the constitutional council, which as a first step would have to declare the president unfit, was already meeting in a special session.

Even Bouteflika's own party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has gone from mocking the initial demonstrations to reportedly giving expressions of support for their overall aims.


https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-...-mass-protests

[Swordsmyth]

Algerian President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika has reshuffled his government, leaving just six members of his previous administration in power, France 24 reported March 31. Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, who became prime minister early last month, will head the administration in the same post.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...s-government-0

[Swordsmyth]

Late in the day Tuesday the official Algerian state press agency APS announced the two-decade long ruler, Presdient Bouteflika, has formally resigned, finally giving in to both popular protests that have rocked the country for weeks, and following demands issued by army chief General Ahmed Gaid Salah that he immediately handover power.
“President Bouteflika notified the president of the Constitutional Council of his decision to put an end to his term,” a translation of the APS news release reads.


Have we just witnessed a quiet military coup in Algeria? Or is this a willing handover of power per constitutional requirements that the ailing 82-year old president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, unable to perform his public duties since suffering a strong years ago, should step down?
The resignation came just moments after the Army repeated calls for him to leave immediately — a demand reportedly coupled with security forces arresting businessmen known to be close to Bouteflika.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-...g-army-demands

[goldenequity]

https://twitter.com/RyadBenaidji/sta...78218608119812

Conflict News
BREAKING: Algeria council accepts Bouteflika resignation - @AFP

Guy Elster‏@guyelster
BREAKING Algerian intelligence chief and Boutelifka ally sacked: Ennahar TV

[goldenequity]

teleSUR English‏ @telesurenglish
Algeria’s parliament has confirmed the nomination of Abdelkader Bensalah as interim president for the next 90 days following the resignation of Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria's interim president, Abdelkader Bensalah, has set presidential elections for July 4, the Algeria Press Service reported April 10.

Scheduling new elections theoretically allows new political parties and personalities to enter the race for Algeria's presidency, which has been controlled by the National Liberation Front's Abdel Aziz Bouteflika for 20 years. However, members of the political opposition and protesters fear that the ruling party and civil government will maintain control over the new elections without giving sufficient opportunities to other parties to run.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ections-july-4

[goldenequity]

https://twitter.com/Ozkok_/status/1116835189118967808

[goldenequity]

https://twitter.com/NewsCompact/stat...66437354242049

[goldenequity]

another civil war?

Algerian army ‘losing patience’ with protests
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Mid...-protests.ashx

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria's interim government has scheduled a consultative forum on April 22 to discuss potential presidential candidates for July 4 elections as the country enters its ninth round of Friday protests, TSA reported April 18.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...s-presidential

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria's national gendarmerie arrested five billionaires over the weekend and an Algerian court has summoned former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia to answer to charges of misuse of public funds, Al-Jazeera reported April 22.

The detained businessmen are among the wealthiest individuals in Algeria and have close ties to former President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika. The arrests may serve as a sign that Ahmed Gaid Salah, chief of staff of the Algerian People's National Army, is attempting to assuage protesters demanding anti-graft measures by going after elements of the country's political system.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...graft-campaign

[Swordsmyth]

Algerian interim President Abdelkader Bensalah has fired Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, the CEO of Algeria's state-owned oil and natural gas firm Sonatrach, and replaced him with Rachid Hachichi, the company's head of production and exploration, RFI reported April 23.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...-sonatrach-ceo

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria's Supreme Court has reopened an investigation into one of the country's former energy ministers, Chakib Khelil, the Algeria Press Service reported April 24.

As a result of probes into Algeria's state-owned oil and natural gas firm Sonatrach, as well as figures like Khelil, reform efforts in the country's oil and gas industry are likely to stall, while progress on exisiting projects is likely to slow down.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...nergy-minister

[Swordsmyth]

Thousands of protesters have gathered across Algeria to protest against the lingering political influence of former President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika's family after a week of arrests against high-profile billionaires failed to fully appease the protest movement, AP reported April 26.

Algeria's protesters are maintaining their ability to regularly organize demonstrations on Fridays as the country undergoes a political transition.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...riday-protests

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria's former police chief and former finance minister have appeared in court to answer questions related to an ongoing bribery and graft probe, Reuters reported April 29.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ng-graft-probe

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria's ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) has elected 50-year old Mohamed Djemai to become the new party head, Alg24 reported May 1.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...lects-new-head

[Swordsmyth]

Thousands of protesters have gathered in Algeria to voice their demands for comprehensive reforms to the country's political system and the resignation of interim President Abdelkader Bensalah, Reuters reported May 3.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...demonstrations

[Swordsmyth]

Algerian security forces have arrested two former intelligence leaders — Gens. Mohamed Mediene and Bachir Athmane Tartag — and Said Bouteflika, the brother and adviser of former President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, Algerian media sources, including Tout sur Algerie and Alg24, reported May 4.

The arrests highlight the high level of control the military maintains over Algeria amid the country's ongoing political transition, as these arrests are occurring on the orders of army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah. The arrests follow similar actions against Algerian individuals and leaders formerly aligned with the former president, revealing the Bouteflika clan's weakness leading up to July 4 presidential elections.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...hiefs-arrested

[Swordsmyth]

The Algerian gendarmerie has reportedly set up checkpoints along major roads leading to Algiers, The Huffington Post reported May 17.

Algeria's security forces and the interim government are beginning to take more visible measures to limit participation in demonstrations in the lead-up to and after elections.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...eading-algiers

[Swordsmyth]

The prosecutor general of an Algiers court has asked the country's Supreme Court to investigate 12 former government officials for corruption, including two former prime ministers, El Watan reported May 26.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ment-officials

[Swordsmyth]

Algeria's constitutional court has declared that it is "impossible" to hold presidential elections scheduled for July 4 after it rejected the candidacies of the only two competitors for the post, Algeria Press Service reported June 2.

The announcement will likely please demonstrators, who have criticized the country's authorities for rushing to conduct presidential elections instead of following through on a promise to institute a period of dialogue to draft a new constitution.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ons-bouteflika

[Swordsmyth]

Acting Algerian head of state Abdelkader Bensalah gave a televised address June 6 calling on members of the political class and civil society to join in a consultative dialogue over how to plan the next presidential elections, Ennahar reported. Bensalah also affirmed that he is acting head of state until a president can be popularly elected.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...ion-tv-address

[goldenequity]

Now Tunisia. Gee. What a coincidence.





Guy Elster
&#8207 @guyelster
BREAKING Explosion heard in Tunisia's capital: Reuters


Guy Elster
&#8207 @guyelster
Tunisia: A police car in Charles De Gaule street in downtown Tunis was targeted in a suicide bomb: Reuters


Guy Elster‏ @guyelster
BREAKING Second suicide bomber attacks police station in #Tunisia|n capital, four wounded: Interior Ministry


Conflict News‏
@Conflicts
BREAKING: Two suicide bombs detonated in Tunis, Tunisia. Multiple people injured close to the French embassy - @AJENews
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/...101400625.html


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Update:

Guy Elster&#8207 @guyelster
BREAKING Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, 92, was brought to a military hospital after suffering a "severe health crisis": The presidency

[Swordsmyth]

Mouad Bouchareb, the president of Algeria's People’s National Assembly (APN), has stepped down from his position, Reuters reported July 2. The APN's five vice presidents asked Bouchareb to resign on June 30, spurring a heated clash between members of parliament the following day.

More at: https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...owing-pressure