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Algerians have been protesting since last month, calling on Bouteflika to resign. By STRINGER (AFP)
Tens of thousands of students again took to the streets of the Algerian capital on Tuesday, just hours after longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika confirmed his intention to stay in power after the war. 39, his term expires next month.
"Students are engaged, the system must disappear!" they shouted, while students from several campuses of Algiers were mbading downtown.
University professors and health professionals joined them for the rally held on the anniversary day of Algeria's victory in its war of independence.
"March 19, 1962: end of the war of Algeria … March 19, 2019: beginning of a change of system", reads in a panel – referring to the agreements of Evian who ended the French colonial rule 57 years ago.
But Bouteflika, who has been leading Algeria for 20 years, once again challenged the demands of his departure and confirmed Monday that he would remain beyond the end of his term next month.
After weeks of protests, he announced on March 11 that he was stepping down from his candidacy for a fifth term in elections scheduled for April.
His comments first sparked joy among the protesters before they realized that he intended to remain in office anyway.
The demonstrations in Algeria showed no signs of weakening. By RYAD KRAMDI (AFP) The 82-year-old also canceled the elections scheduled for April 18 and announced that he was implementing the reforms as part of a "national conference".
Rashly seen in public since a 2013 stroke, Bouteflika issued a new statement Monday confirming that his new plan would allow him to stay in power after the end of his term on April 28.
"(I hope) that Algeria will, in the near future, experience a smooth transition and help pbad the baton to a new generation," he said.
"This is the ultimate goal that I committed to achieve before the end of my presidential journey, by your side and your service," added Bouteflika.
"Do like dinosaurs"
Although Bouteflika has not given a timetable for his national conference, he said the "upheaval of the Algerian political, economic and social system" would begin "in the very near future".
A constitutional revision would be subject to a referendum, he said, which would be "a prelude to a new electoral process that will see the election of a new president".
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has confirmed his intention to stay after the expiry of his term in late April. By – (ALGERIA CANAL / AFP) The protests began last month after Bouteflika announced his intention to run for a fifth term, bringing tens of thousands of people to the streets of the North African country.
Last week, for the fourth consecutive Friday, hundreds of thousands of protesters marched across the country, demanding that Bouteflika surrender.
Despite the president's promises of reform, Algerians continued to march en mbade, many gripping humorous banners and waving flags of their country in a festival atmosphere.
"Do like dinosaurs and disappear!" read a banner on Tuesday or "Geologists are hoping for the mbadive extinction of the government".
The Algerian press also paid little attention to Bouteflika's last letter to the population.
"It's more than stubbornness, it's dangerous irresponsibility," said an opinion writer for the French-language daily Liberté.
"Bouteflika has not responded to the demands of the population," added the Arabic daily El Khabar.
The demonstrations were largely peaceful and led by young people eager to see a new generation of politicians rule their country. By Ryad KRAMDI (AFP) New Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui, appointed on March 11 to replace the unpopular Ahmed Ouyahia, on Tuesday continued talks to form a new government which he promised he will be younger and made up of technocrats.
But his approaches have been largely rejected by opposition parties and union leaders.
In his latest message, Bouteflika called on Algerians to "offer your support to your army to protect Algeria from external dangers".
His comments came after the army chief promised that the army would remain "the bastion of the people and the nation".
"Everyone must show responsibility for finding solutions as quickly as possible," Ahmed Gaid Salah said on Monday.
As part of the president's inner circle, he said the Algerians "have the capabilities to prevent their country from any situation (in which) it could be exploited by hostile foreign parties".
Authorities have previously warned that the protests could lead to Algeria's instability, by comparing the rallies to those who started the war in Syria.
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