Hundreds of thousands of protesters in the Algerian capital have called for the cancellation of the presidential elections, which they considered illegitimate, as they were signed by the head of the rejected state, Abdel Qadir Ben Saleh.
Thousands of Algerians rallied in the capital for the ninth consecutive day, encouraged by the concessions they had received since the start of their protest movement, rejecting the transition process, announced after the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
The protesters called the call of the electorate «the government and the first minister of the people in more than one million resign» provocation for the Algerians, who took part in peaceful marches, to demand a change of regime.
The protesters also called for the accountability of heads of corruption in the country, stressing the need to ensure the independence of the judiciary.
The popular demands calling for the departure of Parliament Speaker Moaz Bouchareb and the government of Noureddine Badawi, calling for a second republic, led by national figures unrelated to the regime of Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Access to the heart of the capital has been almost completely closed, with access to police barriers being restricted, prompting protesters to walk several kilometers to reach the Mellonia.
The demonstrators gathered in the capital, as usual in the central post yard, and the square of Maurice Udan, raising banners calling for the departure of the "Ba'yat", referring to the interim head of state Abdul Qadir bin Saleh, Prime Minister Noureddine Badawi and Parliament Speaker Moaz Bouchareb.
What is striking in the demonstrations on Friday is the retreat of the security forces to checkpoints outside the heart of the capital, while the demonstrators formed a human wall, to separate demonstrators and security to maintain peaceful demonstrations.
Thousands of protesters gathered in front of the central post office in the center of the capital chanted slogans designed to keep moving until the system and its symbols were gone, including "Barakat Barakat (enough) of this system" and "the people want to get a bottom."
The protests were banned in the capital until two months ago. The presidential election was scheduled for April 18 to give Bouteflika, 82, a fifth term at the head of the republic he ruled uncontested for 20 years.
But the specter of a fifth term for a crippled president since he suffered a stroke in 2013 has prompted Algerians to protest in the streets since February 22.
Millions of demonstrators across the country have pushed Bouteflika to give up another presidential term and leave office even before his fourth term ends on April 28.
The demonstrations came yesterday after the resignation of another symbol of the regime, is Tayeb Belaez, President of the Constitutional Council.
Balaez was one of the "three sons" of the close circles of Bouteflika, who are demanding that the protesters resign. The other two are Abdulqadir bin Saleh, head of the transitional state, and Nureddin Badawi, prime minister.
It is not expected that the resignation will be sufficient to calm the demonstrators, who received after every massive mobilization for the day of Friday the concession or retreat or the departure of one of the symbols of the regime.
Kamel Fneish, who replaced Balaez, a member of the Constitutional Council since 2016, and unknown to the general public, according to the protesters, has the characteristics of the "regime" savior.
The security forces were forced to remain neutral in their actions yesterday, after accusing them in recent weeks of trying to suppress the demonstrations.
The army, which has returned to the heart of the political game after Bouteflika's resignation, backs the transition process, while ruling political parties and the opposition seem marginalized from the protest movement and have no influence.
The "Al-Khobar" newspaper, yesterday, under the title «the political lying season .. began the maneuvers to circumvent the revolution of the people», that «the remnants of power calls for the remnants of the opposition to a meeting in the clubhouse Alsnobr (headquarters of important meetings heavily guarded), to make a decision place People (who pretend) in the central post ».
«Orange jackets» to maintain peaceful demonstrations in Algeria
The movement of Algeria, led by a group of journalists and politicians, on the eve of the ninth Friday of demonstrations opposed to the survival of the symbols of the regime of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in power, a new campaign entitled «orange jackets», in order to maintain peaceful demonstrations, especially after the violence witnessed last Friday.
The "Orange Jackets" campaign includes more than 200 young men assigned to the marching of the marches in the pressure centers, especially in the clashes between protesters and the security forces in the capital, at the level of the university tunnel, the Maurice Udan square and the approach of Mohamed V. According to journalist Tawfiq Omran, the owner of the initiative, 200 orange jacket and hat were purchased by young volunteers, who were responsible for framing the marches, by forming a human collar separating protesters and security personnel, especially in the evening of marches.
Tawfik Omran explained that the challenge of peaceful aims, on Friday, to keep the marches away from the destinations that threaten its tranquility, noting that the owners of orange jackets will work to keep the protesters from the approach of Mohammed V, which is still the weakest point in the course of mobility of the capital. Algeria - Agencies
- Protesters considered calling the electorate a provocation to the Algerians.