Protesters throughout Algeria again took to the country’s rain-soaked streets for the fifth weekend running to voice their unequivocal rejection of the latest bid by the country’s 82-year-old president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, to retain his faltering grip upon the reins of office.
In the face of relentless demonstrations, fueled by the weakness of the regime and its succession of qualified compromises and superficial reversals, protests have grown to the point where they are effectively paralyzing the country. On March 18, Bouteflika reiterated his position, issuing a letter underscoring his determination to remain within the presidential palace until the process of constitutional reform was complete.
