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Algerians protest in thousands to reject talks with new president
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Students, teachers and other demonstrators rallied in their thousands in Algeria’s capital Tuesday against the newly elected president, rejecting his offer of dialogue with a months-old protest movement.Abdelmadjid Tebboune won 58.1 percent of the vote in Thursday’s election, according to official results, and on Friday said he was ready for talks to "build a new Algeria." But protesters, long opposed to an election they saw as a ploy by the establishment to consolidate power after ailing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika  ...10th president-for-life of Algeria. He was elected in 1999 and served on his third or four terms. When he announced for the fifth, or maybe it was the sixth, visibly doddering, a grateful nation rose up in its wrath and threw him out...resigned under popular pressure in April, remained defiant. Shouts of "The election was fixed! It wasn’t legitimate! The march will continue!" filled the air in Algiers during the first weekly rally since the poll, an AFP journalist said. Security forces were heavily deployed, but there were no confrontations between them and demonstrators. "Tebboune will not govern us!" protesters shouted, vowing to keep the poll winner from taking up residence at the presidential palace. He is set to be sworn in during a ceremony in Algiers on Thursday, the presidency said. The protest movement has rocked Algeria since February, initially demanding Bouteflika step down then pushing for the remnants of his regime to make way for new, independent institutions. Turnout in the election was 39.9 percent, according to the constitutional council. All five candidates had links to Bouteflika, who ruled for two decades despite suffering a debilitating stroke in 2013. Tebboune is also seen as close to army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah, who became the country’s de facto strongman following Bouteflika’s departure. Related: Abdelmadjid Tebboune: 2019-11-03 Five candidates to run in Algeria’s presidential election next month Abdelmadjid Tebboune: 2019-10-28 Algeria registers 22 candidates for presidential vote Posted by: Fred 2019-12-18 |
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