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Draft law on hydrocarbons sparks another quarrel between regime, protest movement in Algeria

The Algerian government recently approved a law to regularize the energy sector, which was rejected by protesters.
A demonstrator gestures as he shouts slogans during a protest against the country's ruling elite and rejecting December presidential election in Algiers, Algeria October 25, 2019. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina - RC199B1A09B0

The Algerian Council of Ministers approved Oct. 13, during a meeting chaired by interim President Abdelkader Bensalah, a controversial bill that revises the regulations and the role of the state in the country’s strategic hydrocarbons sector. As the session was taking place, hundreds of Algerians gathered in front of parliament to protest against the proposed changes, marking one of the latest disputes between the ruling authorities and Algeria’s popular protest movement.

The importance of the energy sector in Algeria — a key sector of its economy and a source of national pride — makes its regulation a delicate move, especially given that the current president, government and parliament, all involved in drafting the law, are seen as illegitimate by many Algerians, who have been asking for their departure for months.

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