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Algerians continue to demonstrate despite the upcoming elections and will say that they will do so until their demands are met.
As protests continue, Army Chief of Staff Gaid Salah called for a national dialogue.
"The only way to resolve the crisis in our country lies in the adoption of a voluntary, serious, realistic, constructive and visionary dialogue approach that gives priority to Algeria," said Salah in a statement published by the Algerian media.
But in the absence of candidates for the July 4 elections, the effectiveness of a national dialogue seems limited.
Protesters apply pessure
Until Tuesday, May 28, Salah refused to respond to calls for dialogue or to discuss transition phases described by political parties and the people.
Instead, he stressed that elections are the only way out of the current crisis.
The crisis followed the resignation of former president Abdelaziz Boutflika.
This was followed by the creation of a transitional government that was put in place for 90 days in accordance with the constitution.
The transitional government is made up of people linked to Bouteflika or the army, including President Abdelkader Bensaleh, Prime Minister Nourredine Bedoui and Salah himself.
"The 22 February demonstrations, known as" harak "or [the] revolutionary smile, rejected and rejected all the political processes engaged by the system,[and] the regime, "said Amor Shabbi, editor of the online news site Atlas Times in Constantine, Algeria.
"They [the protesters] [are] call[ing] that all political leaders leave the scene and take on responsibilities to organize elections in the future. "
Despite the call for national dialogue, Salah did not specify who was invited, nor where and when it would occur.
There is also the possible complication of many different visions for the future that protesters may present.
No candidate in the election?
Giving protesters an opportunity to sit at the table and formally present their demands could eventually give them a voice in the direction of what will happen next.
"The extent to which they can leverage would depend on knowing they have a unified view of next steps – unfortunately this does not seem to be the case," says Mohammed Al-Jumaily, a research badyst at MENA. Integrity in London. , UNITED KINGDOM.
To date, no presidential candidate is in the running.
"The political parties presented 77 potential candidates for the elections. However, the constitutional council said that not all of them meet the legal requirements, "says Al-Jumaily.
In order for a candidate to stand for election, he must be supported by 600 local councils and legislators or by 60,000 voters in more than half of the country's regions.
The only candidates who have successfully submitted their bids are unknown candidates, including Hamid Touahri, an aeronautical engineer. and Abdelhakim Hamadi, who runs a veterinary drug business.
"Two ghost candidates … they are not well known on the political scene and I think it's a way for the constitutional council and the regime to gain more time because the law says the constitutional council, after [having] received, has ten days to evaluate them "and validate their application, explains Shabbi.
To engage in a deliberation phase for these two candidates could constitute an attempt to "delay the inevitable, which seems to be the postponement of the July 4 elections and an ultimate attempt to restore some legitimacy," says al-Juamily.
"The longer the process around the elections, the longer the country will remain in a political vacuum," says Al-Jumaily.
"The regime hopes that this could work in its favor because the political voids tend to lead to growing divisions within the protest movement (as we can already see) while Algerians develop different visions of the way in which they live. to go from the front. "
Al-Juamily added that the longer the gap lasts, the more likely it is that the protesters begin to divide. an element that would only legitimize the power of the current government.
Triumph of peaceful demonstrations
Since February 22, when protesters took to the streets of all of Algeria, a peaceful protest unified the people.
Demonstrations continue every week, or even every day, with very few problems on the part of the police or the army.
"Small skirmishes maybe in Algiers last week. But in general, these are peaceful protests without any incident. They remain peaceful and it is in the hands of the protesters. If they change attitude, [then] the authorities' response will change, "said Shabbi.
Added to this is the dedication to the cause despite the month of Ramadan and the beginning of the summer season.
"People fast but go to the streets to demand change, a profound change of the regime in the political system," he adds.
Even those in the south find ways to demonstrate despite these constraints by demonstrating at night.
No matter where they are, the protesters seem unified to demand a clean break with the current government.
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