The Algerian regime faces tough decisions this winter as it copes with falling revenue and low oil prices. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has called the situation "worrisome" and is pushing Saudi Arabia to cut its oil production to force prices up.
The last Arab republic without an Arab Spring, the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria is one of the most opaque police states in the world. At 77, Bouteflika is serving his fourth term despite suffering from a stroke in 2013. He rarely appears in public and often travels to France for health reasons. Behind the scenes, the army's generals and the intelligence chief wield enormous power and are referred to as "le pouvoir." Decision-making is a mystery.
