Africa: Algeria, Sudan and the Power of Protest

analysis

In the past two months, historic anti-government protests across Algeria and Sudan have forced their ageing autocrats to resign after decades of repressive rule. In Algeria, broad-based protests prompted by former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika's announcement that he would run for a fifth term led to his resignation on 1 April. Ahmed Gaid Salah, army chief of staff and vice minister of defence, seized control of the transitional government, naming Abdelkader Bensalah, Bouteflika's right-hand man, acting head of state.

The moves triggered further protests against le pouvoir - the military, economic and political elites who have effectively run the country for decades. The presidential elections originally scheduled for April are now tentatively scheduled for 4 July - and Bensalah is barred from participating.

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