NationStates

In 2019, Algerians came out in droves in protests that forced out President Abdulaziz Bouteflika as the people called for democracy. The protesters attacked the president, who had suffered a stroke years before, because he intended to run for a fifth term. The movement, known as Hirak, also targeted his inner circle, which they called “le pouvoir” (the power).
The protest movement has since returned. The protests which occurred every Friday (as is the norm in the Muslim world) temporarily were halted due to the pandemic, but have since resumed. Many are angry President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has allowed many Bouteflika politicians to remain in power. In fact, Tebboune himself was Bouteflika’s prime minister. And with a law last year passed to crackdown on fake news many see as a crackdown on free speech instead, the people are angry. Security in Algiers has been beefed up in anticipation of the protests, in which thousands participated.

Protesters are in the streets, referring to the military as a terrorist group, and calling for an end to the torture.

Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56128140
https://www.bbc.com/news/world/africa?n ... type=share

I wish my Algerian brothers and sisters good luck in their fight for political transparency.

I hope they get what they want without bloodshed

Jarvikan wrote:I hope they get what they want without bloodshed

Yeah, one or the other might happen. Not both.

We want democracy!

Sweet lmfao. They restarted the movement.

Bouteflika shouldn't have been overthrown in the first place, he was a good leader.

Punished UMN wrote:Bouteflika shouldn't have been overthrown in the first place, he was a good leader.

How so?

Another quality international uprising brought to you by The Biden Administration™

Drongonia wrote:Another quality international uprising brought to you by The Biden Administration™

Wait, what does Biden have to do with it?

Greater Kopmakia wrote:

Drongonia wrote:Another quality international uprising brought to you by The Biden Administration™

Wait, what does Biden have to do with it?

idk lol

Insaanistan wrote:

Punished UMN wrote:Bouteflika shouldn't have been overthrown in the first place, he was a good leader.

How so?

Democratically elected (despite claims of fraud by opposition parties, Western observers have found the elections were free and fair), a good economy, good foreign policy, etc. etc. There's really not even that much evidence that his ouster was wanted by the majority, and if it was, given that a close associate of his won, it was more because of the conspiracy theories about Bouteflika no longer really being in charge due to his health rather than any actual dislike of Bouteflika himself.

Are we gonna see another Arab Spring styled event in Algeria?

Dresderstan wrote:Are we gonna see another Arab Spring styled event in Algeria?

I doubt it, but then again, the Arab Spring was incredibly quick-moving. Once Tunisia went down, it really was a domino effect. That said, probably not.

Insaanistan wrote:

Punished UMN wrote:Bouteflika shouldn't have been overthrown in the first place, he was a good leader.

How so?

By the standards of African Presidents he’s been great, he oversaw peace and reconciliation following the Post Independence Civil War, has been battling Islamist extremist, opened the country up to foreign diplomacy and managed the French debt.
The main issue is that as an old conservative he’s been about security rather than democracy and economic growth (and Algeria as a leading producer of oil and natural gas has huge potential

Army be like "lol k"

Cetacea wrote:

Insaanistan wrote:How so?

By the standards of African Presidents he’s been great, he oversaw peace and reconciliation following the Post Independence Civil War, has been battling Islamist extremist, opened the country up to foreign diplomacy and managed the French debt.
The main issue is that as an old conservative he’s been about security rather than democracy and economic growth (and Algeria as a leading producer of oil and natural gas has huge potential

Bouteflika had to go. No reason for him to be in power as long as he was.

Insaanistan wrote:

Cetacea wrote:
By the standards of African Presidents he’s been great, he oversaw peace and reconciliation following the Post Independence Civil War, has been battling Islamist extremist, opened the country up to foreign diplomacy and managed the French debt.
The main issue is that as an old conservative he’s been about security rather than democracy and economic growth (and Algeria as a leading producer of oil and natural gas has huge potential

Bouteflika had to go. No reason for him to be in power as long as he was.

There doesn't have to be a reason really.

Insaanistan wrote:

Cetacea wrote:
By the standards of African Presidents he’s been great, he oversaw peace and reconciliation following the Post Independence Civil War, has been battling Islamist extremist, opened the country up to foreign diplomacy and managed the French debt.
The main issue is that as an old conservative he’s been about security rather than democracy and economic growth (and Algeria as a leading producer of oil and natural gas has huge potential

Bouteflika had to go. No reason for him to be in power as long as he was.

I agree he had to go, but he should not have been vilified for it nor treated badly (well no more badly than any standard politician)

Cetacea wrote:

Insaanistan wrote:
Bouteflika had to go. No reason for him to be in power as long as he was.

I agree he had to go, but he should not have been vilified for it nor treated badly (well no more badly than any standard politician)

To be fair, in Algeria itself, that wasn't the case. Even people who supported Bouteflika were calling for his resignation because of conspiracy theories and the people who didn't support him didn't hold too many bad feelings towards him.

I do not see why people like this keep screaming for democracy, and wasting their time picketing for the advances of the CIA. Especially in places where democracy has never worked and never will. Does Algeria want to become Libya? They should look and see how prosperous Libya once was under Gaddafi. They will then see how they need strong men to lead their country, much like what Russia has.

Predsedatel wrote:I do not see why people like this keep screaming for democracy, and wasting their time picketing for the advances of the CIA. Especially in places where democracy has never worked and never will. Does Algeria want to become Libya? They should look and see how prosperous Libya once was under Gaddafi. They will then see how they need strong men to lead their country, much like what Russia has.

Because Tunisia is obviously Libya, right?
Russia has a Soviet era spy as their “president” who’s gonna run the country till he dies if he can. He’s not strong, he’s corrupt and power hungry.

Insaanistan wrote:

Predsedatel wrote:I do not see why people like this keep screaming for democracy, and wasting their time picketing for the advances of the CIA. Especially in places where democracy has never worked and never will. Does Algeria want to become Libya? They should look and see how prosperous Libya once was under Gaddafi. They will then see how they need strong men to lead their country, much like what Russia has.

Because Tunisia is obviously Libya, right?
Russia has a Soviet era spy as their “president” who’s gonna run the country till he dies if he can. He’s not strong, he’s corrupt and power hungry.

Tunisia is a leech of the West in both economy and culture and always has been. You don't go there for the culture on vacation. You go for Tunisian women.

Also, strength of a leader is in their ability to lead country to greatness. Putin has done so away from Yeltsin and his bullshit policies and has placed Russia oncemore as world's most premiere power. We are in Syria more than America or the West. Unless flying tomahawk missiles into houses counts as better than Russia.

People in these countries obviously don’t understand that democracy is a luxury, not a daily supplies，

Either your country has acquired a lot of wealth through bloody colonial plunder, or you have a sugar dad country that is willing to pay the price for free, your country had better not consider the luxury of democracy, otherwise democracy will drain the last drop of your country’s blood.