By Magali LagrangePosted on 20-12-2019Changed on 20-12-2019 at 22:25

Algerians are still mobilized this Friday, December 20 in several cities of the country. The day after the inauguration of the new president Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who was declared the winner of the presidential election a week ago, part of the population continues to express their dissatisfaction.

For the 44th Friday in a row, part of the Algerians again marched against the system in place and the new president whom they do not recognize. Some of them consider him as poorly elected, others even as unelected, since the presidential election has been organized by a system that they have challenged since last February. The poll also recorded a historically low voter turnout , which only approached 40%.

These protests were the first since the inauguration on Thursday of Abdelmadjid Tebboune , elected in the first round of the presidential election, with 58% of the vote, according to official figures. In his first speech as president, he reached out to the protesters, inviting them to dialogue for " a new Algeria ". He also promised a revision of the Constitution in the coming months, or even in the coming weeks.

The president has not yet formed his government, but he has appointed an acting Prime Minister - Sabri Boukadoum, former Minister of Foreign Affairs - after accepting the resignation of Noureddine Bedoui, who was highly contested in the ranks of the Hirak . Interior Minister Salah Eddine Dahmoune was dismissed. He had created controversy by accusing opponents of the December 12 presidential election of " traitors ", " mercenaries " and " homosexuals ".

Ads greeted cautiously by Hirak

Part of the opponents of the ballot are waiting to see how the president's words will materialize. But for others, and especially for the demonstrators present at the demonstrations this Friday, this speech does not change anything. No more than his election. For them, the presidential election is an "electoral coup" from which nothing should be expected.

Evidenced by these signs, visible this Friday in the ranks of the demonstration in Algiers, on which were written sentences like: " No dialogue with fraudsters ", or " system clears " .

The demonstrators also continued to chant phrases such as " Civil and non-military status ". For them, the new president is only a civil facade, while the real power remains in the hands of the senior officers of the army, and in particular the chief of staff Ahmed Gaïd Salah .

Waiting for strong gestures

In this difficult context, several researchers believe that the ball is in the court of the president, since the Algerian protesters wish strong gestures on the part of the head of state.

This could, for example, involve the possible release of those arrested in connection with the protest movement. However, on the very day of the inauguration of Abdelmadjid Tebboune, a young Hirak activist was sentenced to 18 months in prison, for " damaging the national interest ".

Regarding the offer of dialogue, several observers indicate that it is necessary to wait to know who will be the participants, and what questions will be addressed. The main demand of Hirak remains the establishment of a civil state, not a military one. It will undoubtedly be difficult to satisfy, if we consider that real power is effectively held by the high command of the army.

But whether they are in the ranks of power or the opposition, a large part of the Algerians agree that reforms must be carried out quickly, in many sectors, and in particular to restore an economy out of breath .

► Also listen: Algeria: the country's economy weighed down by political uncertainty

    On the same subject

    Algeria: the promises of the new president and expectations of the street

    Algeria's new president Abdelmadjid Tebboune sworn in

    Algeria: recourse to pre-trial detention increasingly common in Algiers

    King of Morocco calls on new Algerian president to resume dialogue

    comments