The Algerian newspaper The Times has warned that Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's refusal to give up power and the government's ambiguity over election schedules, as well as the new constitution, have all raised concerns that it means postponement and nothing else.

Algeria, the largest country in Africa with a population of around 45 million, faces two options: either to embark on reform or to risk a civil war.

The Algerian crisis appears at first glance simple, but the country may have been in a state of serious uncertainty, with no government statement setting the course for the future, Bouteflika said in reference to Bouteflika's retreat from running for a fifth term and canceling the election.

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A broad section of the reform movement is eager to engage in dialogue with a government that feels that it really understands the need for change in the country.
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The editorial recalled what it called the civil war that erupted in the country after the 1992 elections when the Islamic Salvation Front was on the verge of achieving a surprise victory before being deprived of it after the intervention of the army, which canceled its results.

Friends of Algeria do not want to repeat the events of the early 1990s. She says the group around Bouteflika is seeking to find a "new image leader" that guarantees her continued power.

She adds that the answer to events in Algeria lies with those close to the president and army, who should be clear that favoritism, nepotism, low growth rates and inability to create jobs are all practices that Algerian youth will not tolerate.

The Times said things would be "catastrophic" if demonstrators were forced to resort to violence out of a sense that they may be born that nothing will change despite their protests. It is now possible to see that a broad segment of the reform movement is willing to engage in dialogue with a government that feels that it really understands the need for change in the country.

But if such a desire turns out to be just an illusion, then the country's hard-line powers may gain more support. If this happens, the recent history of both Algeria and the region is predicated on "horrific" past events that may occur in the future.