Imposition of election date signals end to Algerian government patience
Algerians protested the decision to hold elections in December as their demands are left unmet and many activists and opposition members linger in jail.
After more than 30 consecutive weeks of demonstrations and political stalemate, all indications are that Algeria’s ruling elite is preparing to call time on the protest movement, the Hirak, which ended the rule of a longstanding president and the careers of scores of highly placed politicians and officials.
Establishment attitudes have been hardening for some time toward the protests, which been led by young people for the most part, with arrests growing in number and the occasional skirmishes between security forces and demonstrators increasing in frequency.
