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Discontent Swells as President of Algeria Seeks a Fourth Term Discontent Swells as President of Algeria Seeks a Fourth Term
(5 months later)
ALGIERS — With a presidential election on Thursday, most Algerians see a fourth term for the incumbent, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, as a foregone conclusion. ALGIERS — With a presidential election on Thursday, most Algerians see a fourth term for the incumbent, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, as a foregone conclusion.
Mr. Bouteflika has already been in power 15 years. In the last election in 2009, he was returned to office with an improbable 90 percent of the vote. So tightly controlled is this North African country that, virtually alone in the region, it passed on the Arab Spring.Mr. Bouteflika has already been in power 15 years. In the last election in 2009, he was returned to office with an improbable 90 percent of the vote. So tightly controlled is this North African country that, virtually alone in the region, it passed on the Arab Spring.
Yet even as the re-election of Mr. Bouteflika, 77, appears inevitable, his insistence on running again, despite his apparent frail health, has increased popular exasperation, revealed unusual signs of division within the ruling elite and provoked an unlikely show of solidarity among opposition parties, both secular and Islamic, which have united in a call to boycott the election.Yet even as the re-election of Mr. Bouteflika, 77, appears inevitable, his insistence on running again, despite his apparent frail health, has increased popular exasperation, revealed unusual signs of division within the ruling elite and provoked an unlikely show of solidarity among opposition parties, both secular and Islamic, which have united in a call to boycott the election.
Exceptionally, a nascent urban middle-class youth movement, Barakat! (“Enough!” in Arabic), styled along the lines of the protests organized through social media during the Arab Spring, has begun campaigning against another term for Mr. Bouteflika. In recent weeks, it broke a taboo by holding small political protests here on the streets of the capital.Exceptionally, a nascent urban middle-class youth movement, Barakat! (“Enough!” in Arabic), styled along the lines of the protests organized through social media during the Arab Spring, has begun campaigning against another term for Mr. Bouteflika. In recent weeks, it broke a taboo by holding small political protests here on the streets of the capital.
Elsewhere, a violent protest forced the former prime minister, Abdelmalek Sellal, to cancel a rally in support of the president on April 5 in Bejaia, 150 miles east of here, when hundreds of demonstrators blocked streets and threw stones. Part of the cultural center where Mr. Sellal was to speak was burned and police officers and journalists were wounded in hours of clashes, the local media reported.Elsewhere, a violent protest forced the former prime minister, Abdelmalek Sellal, to cancel a rally in support of the president on April 5 in Bejaia, 150 miles east of here, when hundreds of demonstrators blocked streets and threw stones. Part of the cultural center where Mr. Sellal was to speak was burned and police officers and journalists were wounded in hours of clashes, the local media reported.
The signs of discontent tell of the frustration that has surrounded Mr. Bouteflika’s run in a country with about 30 percent unemployment, and where many chafe for change even as many more, perhaps, fear the instability that change might bring. The result has been a kind of political inertia embodied in Mr. Bouteflika and a public apathy about the campaign that may well translate into the low turnout that the opposition desires.The signs of discontent tell of the frustration that has surrounded Mr. Bouteflika’s run in a country with about 30 percent unemployment, and where many chafe for change even as many more, perhaps, fear the instability that change might bring. The result has been a kind of political inertia embodied in Mr. Bouteflika and a public apathy about the campaign that may well translate into the low turnout that the opposition desires.
Supporters of the president emphasize his critical role in leading Algeria out of a devastating civil war in the 1990s, which killed 100,000 and began after the military stepped in to nullify elections won by Islamists. Algeria’s leadership has since seen the messy and violent aftermath of the Arab Spring as vindication for the course it took.Supporters of the president emphasize his critical role in leading Algeria out of a devastating civil war in the 1990s, which killed 100,000 and began after the military stepped in to nullify elections won by Islamists. Algeria’s leadership has since seen the messy and violent aftermath of the Arab Spring as vindication for the course it took.
In an interview, Ahmed Ouyahia, a three-time former prime minister and current chief of staff who is helping run the president’s campaign, credited Mr. Bouteflika with restoring peace and security after a decade of violence. “This is a priceless achievement,” he said.In an interview, Ahmed Ouyahia, a three-time former prime minister and current chief of staff who is helping run the president’s campaign, credited Mr. Bouteflika with restoring peace and security after a decade of violence. “This is a priceless achievement,” he said.
“Algerians need a personality who can unite them, especially in this climate of terror instilled by some of the candidates,” he added. “Bouteflika is the most appropriate choice to gather the Algerian people in a national consensus. A large majority of the nation backs him.”“Algerians need a personality who can unite them, especially in this climate of terror instilled by some of the candidates,” he added. “Bouteflika is the most appropriate choice to gather the Algerian people in a national consensus. A large majority of the nation backs him.”
Since spending three months in a Paris hospital last summer, Mr. Bouteflika has been absent largely from public life. His only public outing during the campaign was on April 3 when he appeared on national television during a visit to Algiers by Secretary of State John Kerry.Since spending three months in a Paris hospital last summer, Mr. Bouteflika has been absent largely from public life. His only public outing during the campaign was on April 3 when he appeared on national television during a visit to Algiers by Secretary of State John Kerry.
With a puffy face and glazed eyes, Mr. Bouteflika held on to his chair as he stood to greet Mr. Kerry. When he swapped pleasantries with his visitor, his speech was slurred and inaudible.With a puffy face and glazed eyes, Mr. Bouteflika held on to his chair as he stood to greet Mr. Kerry. When he swapped pleasantries with his visitor, his speech was slurred and inaudible.
While it was far from a reassuring sight for Algerians, the president was “perfectly fit to rule,” Mr. Ouyahia insisted. “He is certainly not comfortable standing up,” he said, “but he doesn’t suffer from any other handicap, whether manual or mental.”While it was far from a reassuring sight for Algerians, the president was “perfectly fit to rule,” Mr. Ouyahia insisted. “He is certainly not comfortable standing up,” he said, “but he doesn’t suffer from any other handicap, whether manual or mental.”
While the president remains cloistered in his palace, he has left the campaigning to Mr. Sellal. The president’s only effort to address his people directly was in a letter distributed by the state news agency, saying he was heeding the “call of the people, civil society, political parties, the unions and mass organizations” to run for re-election, and claiming that “my current health challenges do not seem to disqualify me in your eyes.”While the president remains cloistered in his palace, he has left the campaigning to Mr. Sellal. The president’s only effort to address his people directly was in a letter distributed by the state news agency, saying he was heeding the “call of the people, civil society, political parties, the unions and mass organizations” to run for re-election, and claiming that “my current health challenges do not seem to disqualify me in your eyes.”
Yet given Mr. Bouteflika’s medical problems, and his already long stretch in power, even before he announced his intention to run again, public sniping broke out between the small circle around the president and the country’s intelligence service, betraying hints of divisions within the normally close and discrete branches of the government.Yet given Mr. Bouteflika’s medical problems, and his already long stretch in power, even before he announced his intention to run again, public sniping broke out between the small circle around the president and the country’s intelligence service, betraying hints of divisions within the normally close and discrete branches of the government.
Unusual for a country where the military rarely speaks out, the media reported a number of retired, high-ranking Army officers criticizing Mr. Bouteflika for running again. Equally rare, some in the privately owned news media declared their “neutrality” in the campaign, rather than endorsing the president, as they had always done.Unusual for a country where the military rarely speaks out, the media reported a number of retired, high-ranking Army officers criticizing Mr. Bouteflika for running again. Equally rare, some in the privately owned news media declared their “neutrality” in the campaign, rather than endorsing the president, as they had always done.
Conversations with people on the streets of capital revealed signs of division and disaffection as well. Nabila Belatrous, a 47-year-old homemaker from the eastern town of Sétif, voiced support for the president. “You have to know that all women in my hometown will vote for Bouteflika,” she said. ‘’We just like him. He is good to the Algerian woman. Men in Sétif don’t like him, but women do.”Conversations with people on the streets of capital revealed signs of division and disaffection as well. Nabila Belatrous, a 47-year-old homemaker from the eastern town of Sétif, voiced support for the president. “You have to know that all women in my hometown will vote for Bouteflika,” she said. ‘’We just like him. He is good to the Algerian woman. Men in Sétif don’t like him, but women do.”
Her 19-year-old daughter, Manel, a student, contradicted her. “She always says that and it irritates my dad,” she said. “I do not know anybody from my generation who is planning to vote. My generation is not concerned, if only because the outcome is so obvious.”Her 19-year-old daughter, Manel, a student, contradicted her. “She always says that and it irritates my dad,” she said. “I do not know anybody from my generation who is planning to vote. My generation is not concerned, if only because the outcome is so obvious.”
Anticipation of a low turnout has helped unify government opponents.Anticipation of a low turnout has helped unify government opponents.
Idir Tazerout, a journalist from the daily newspaper L’Expression who co-founded the Barakat! movement, said Algerians were fed up with the corrupt and stultifying hold of the ruling party. “Bouteflika’s decision to run for a fourth term was a sort of final straw,” he said. “Algeria is turning into an unsaid monarchy, with all the power in the hands of one family.”Idir Tazerout, a journalist from the daily newspaper L’Expression who co-founded the Barakat! movement, said Algerians were fed up with the corrupt and stultifying hold of the ruling party. “Bouteflika’s decision to run for a fourth term was a sort of final straw,” he said. “Algeria is turning into an unsaid monarchy, with all the power in the hands of one family.”
Disgust with the current government was enough to push the Islamic and secular opposition together for the first time.Disgust with the current government was enough to push the Islamic and secular opposition together for the first time.
“The fourth term is the most hideous and repulsive aspect of the state of political collapse of the country,” said Abderrazak Makri, the leader of the Movement for the Society of Peace, the most influential Islamic party. “In a state of law, the fourth term would have been unthinkable, if only because of Bouteflika’s extremely poor health condition.”“The fourth term is the most hideous and repulsive aspect of the state of political collapse of the country,” said Abderrazak Makri, the leader of the Movement for the Society of Peace, the most influential Islamic party. “In a state of law, the fourth term would have been unthinkable, if only because of Bouteflika’s extremely poor health condition.”
Mohsen Belabbes, leader of the secular Rally for Culture and Democracy party, said a boycott was the only option. “This election needs to be discredited in order to avoid offering any kind of legitimacy to the next presidential term,” he said in an interview. The government had already shown its intent to manipulate the outcome, he added.Mohsen Belabbes, leader of the secular Rally for Culture and Democracy party, said a boycott was the only option. “This election needs to be discredited in order to avoid offering any kind of legitimacy to the next presidential term,” he said in an interview. The government had already shown its intent to manipulate the outcome, he added.
“They refused our demand for credible international observers, they insist on the election being managed by the ministry of interior instead of an independent commission, and they have denied us access to the voters’ database,” Mr. Belabbes said. “What kind of presidential election can we expect from such a regime?”“They refused our demand for credible international observers, they insist on the election being managed by the ministry of interior instead of an independent commission, and they have denied us access to the voters’ database,” Mr. Belabbes said. “What kind of presidential election can we expect from such a regime?”
Mr. Ouyahia, the chief of staff and de facto No. 2 government official, called the opposition’s claims “a distortion of truth,” saying the electoral database was made public during parliamentary elections, in which they participated.Mr. Ouyahia, the chief of staff and de facto No. 2 government official, called the opposition’s claims “a distortion of truth,” saying the electoral database was made public during parliamentary elections, in which they participated.
“They advocate democracy,” he said. “Then they should respect this electoral process and let the people choose.”“They advocate democracy,” he said. “Then they should respect this electoral process and let the people choose.”