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Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Algeria to demand the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
According to estimates, the crowds in the capital, Algiers, have reached one million. This is the sixth consecutive Friday of anti-government mbad protests in the country.
Earlier this week, an army general, General Ahmed Gaed Salah, called for the vacancy of the presidential post.
But Algerian opposition parties have said they will not guarantee free elections.
Algerian police fired tear gas at the crowd while she was trying to access the presidency, said Mohamed Arezki Himeur of the BBC in Algiers.
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Renewed appeals for a regime change come just days after General Gaed Salah demanded that Bouteflika be declared unfit to govern.
What do the protesters want?
The protests against Mr. Bouteflika began last month after the president, who has rarely been seen in public since a stroke in 2013, announced that he would run for another term.
In response, the president agreed not to run for a fifth term in the next election, which was postponed.
However, protesters did not respond well, saying his decision not to run was a cynical move to extend his 20-year rule.
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According to estimates, nearly a million people marched in the capital, Algiers
They are now calling from the president and a whole generation of Algerian political leaders, including those who would like to replace him.
During the protest in Algiers, a member of the crowd, named Ali, told the Reuters news agency: "We have only a word to say today, while the gang must leave immediately, play over. "
What is happening now?
General Gaed Salah – who is also Deputy Defense Minister and considered loyal to Bouteflika – called this week for the use of Article 102, which allows the Constitutional Council to declare the post of vacant president if the leader is unable to lead.
The ruling party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), supported the general's appeal.
Under the constitution, Senate Speaker Abdelkhader Bansallah would become the interim head of state until elections could be held.
Despite the significant intervention, the call of the Chief of Staff of the army does not appear to be sufficient for protesters and opposition parties, who continued to protest in the streets.
Opposition unimpressed
By Ahmed Rouaba, BBC Africa
Opposition parties and protesters in Algeria were not impressed by General Gaid Salah's suggestion of triggering Article 102 of the constitution.
The majority of the protesters are young people who are not involved in party politics and who say they are not interested in the departure of Bouteflika just to see the power transferred to his former allies – bringing to power different faces of the same regime. .
It is difficult to predict what will happen because there is no indication that the opposition parties have any influence on the protesters, who do not have any leaders or spokespeople to engage in dialogue. with the authorities.
The army clearly wanted to see the end of the crisis after having abandoned Mr. Bouteflika unexpectedly. But they must find an influential party with whom to discuss the procedure.
At the moment, protesters' expectations are very high as they require the departure of "all those who have been badociated with the regime", but they do not offer an alternative.
General Gaid Salah had already rejected the idea of "suppressing everyone" as it was expressed in demonstrations and on social media.
Who could succeed the Algerian president?
Bouteflika said: Many in Algeria believe that the younger brother of the president is the de facto leader of the country. He is described as the guardian of the president, leading the presidential clan and protecting his interests behind the scenes.
Lakhdar Brahimi: One of the most respected veteran diplomats in the country, Mr. Brahimi has had a successful career at the highest level of the United Nations General Secretariat. When the protests in Algeria began, Mr. Brahimi was chosen to lead a transition conference on the country's political future.
Ali Benflis: The founder of the Algerian Human Rights League, headed by the state, was appointed Minister of Justice in 1988. He was appointed Prime Minister in 2000, but was removed from office in 2003. He is considered a possible successor even though he lost his presidential offers in 2004 and 2014.
Ali Haddad: The former head of the Algerian Business Forum has been identified by the Algerian and French press as one of the main financiers of Mr Bouteflika's re-election campaign in 2014.
Ahmed Gaid Salah: The army chief of staff sparked controversy by commenting on public affairs, suggesting many presidential ambitions. Lt Gen also often helped Mr. Bouteflika undermine the position of other generals.
- Learn more about potential candidates from Algeria
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