Continuing almost two weeks of marches and rallies against the 82-year-old Bouteflika’s plan to seek a fifth term, hundreds of protesters took part in small demonstrations across the north African country. Mainly students, determined to pursue Algeria’s biggest anti-government protests in years, boycotting classes on Monday to denounce an offer by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika not to serve a full term if re-elected. The ailing President’s offer appeared aimed at undermining the youthful wave of opposition against his twenty-year rule and shore up an establishment dominated by ageing revolutionary stalwarts of the 1954-62 independence war against France. Shops were open in Algiers but students did not show up for classes at Bab Ezzouar University in Algiers, the biggest in the oil-producing North African country and several other university campuses in the capital Algiers were also deserted. The announcement read out by Abdelghani Zaalane on Bouteflika’s behalf said the president pledged to organise a national conference to discuss reforms and then call early elections in which he would not run, held within a year.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 05, 2019 08:26 UTC