Speaking to the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Jafar Ghanadbashi described the protests in Algeria as unprecedented and noted: Many people in the country were opposed to the general election and it has been almost 44 weeks since they started protests against the current trend in Algeria and the ruling body. They believe that the election organizers are not qualified to hold the elections because they are followers of Abdul Aziz Bouteflika. Moreover, the presidential candidates are also friends and supporters of Bouteflika, who was forced by the people to step down.

He said that the absence of Bouteflika’s name in the list of presidential candidates and the competition of many other candidates in the election had created an unprecedented atmosphere in Algeria. He added: The people of Algeria after being ruled by a single president for 20 years have now entered an election with hopefuls other than Bouteflika.

Before that, for two decades, Bouteflika was the primary candidate for any presidential election, but new candidates entered the electorate this time. In fact, Algeria was trying to get more voters to the polls but failed to do so because only about 40 percent of eligible voters participated.

The Future Outlook

Referring to the ongoing popular protests following the election and its impact on Algerian domestic politics, he said: “There are two perspectives on the current protesters. One is the plan pursued by the government whose main pillars are the ruling establishment, the military (behind the scene) and the old Algerian Party. Their endeavor is to continue the process of elections and the new president will be able to calm down the situation by holding office, forming a government and fulfilling some of the demands of the opponents.

The governing body is determined to continue the current process, hoping that demonstrators will be convinced that their demonstrations are fruitless and make sure the government does not back down on their demands, as the government has so far given them no concessions, Ghanadbashi added: On the other hand, the promises made to the protesters, such as amending the constitution and the election law, dissolving the current parliament and creating a new parliament in line with their demands so that they can accomplish their demands in this government.

Crackdown on Opposition, Restricting of Freedoms Likely

The African affairs analyst said that the opposition hopes to overthrow the current government as the protests continue, adding: “The opposition does not seem to be capable enough to achieve its goals behind the demonstrations. Therefore, the government will eventually succeed to force the opposition to stop demonstrations first by giving them promises and then by threatening them. Naturally, a few days after the new president takes over, the process of suppressing or restricting the freedom of the opposition is likely to begin, and they will attempt to end the protests if they fail to calm the opposition by fulfilling their demands.

“Of course, this scenario is more likely,” Ghanadbashi said. But if opposition protests do not end, the next option is to form a coalition government or negotiate with the leaders of the opposition to find a solution. This may be done as a national dialogue and as an attempt to forge unity by inviting the opposition into the government.

Noting that Mr. Abdelmajid Tebboune, the incumbent President, served as prime minister for three months under Bouteflika, he is trying to say that this post had been imposed on me and that he was opposed to Bouteflika. He says he participated in the election as an opposition.

“Algeria has a special place in Africa, in the Arab world, and especially in the Non-Aligned Movement,” he said. Algerian politics cannot be easily changed because it depends on public opinion and existing political parties and institutions. Algeria is not a small African country that could easily turn around. Therefore, possible changes will be limited.

Aligning with Zionist Regime, Arab Reactionaries Threaten Algeria

Noting that Algerian foreign policy under Bouteflika was relatively neutral and inactive, he continued: The danger threatening Algerian foreign policy is the issue of influence of Saudi Arabia and the UAE and their connection with certain military men who are ruling Algeria today.

Given the connection the Algerian military has with Riyadh, the government of Algeria may develop some inclination in its foreign policy and forge some cooperation with the Arab reaction and they aim to bring the Algeria which was opposed to the Zionist regime and the Arab reactionaries, into alignment with the Arab reaction. But in practice the changes cannot be sudden and substantial but the current Algeria may be willing to cooperate with the. In foreign policy, seek greater cooperation and links with the Arab and the UAE and their connection with Saudi reactionaries.

Europe Worried about Chaos in Algeria

Pointing to the rich oil and gas resources if Algeria, the analyst said: “Europeans are very concerned about outbreak of chaos and collapse of the government in Algeria; So one of the main reasons that the protests in Algeria unlike Lebanon and Iraq were not violent was  because this was not attended by Western infiltrators and Arab reactionaries as they considered the unrest in Algeria to their detriment.

He said, therefore, it seems that the current government that held the elections would not face much violent opposition and that there would be no violence in Algeria similar to the events in Iraq and Lebanon. That said, the Algerian military and the governing body are confident that they will not face subversive opposition similar to what is happening in Iraq and Lebanon. Because the Arab reaction and the Western countries, especially France, are interested in keeping Algeria’s affairs in the hands of politicians and their supporters.