Algeria: President Abdelmadjid Tebboune appoints a new government

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, here December 19, 2019. Toufik Doudou / AP Photo

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2 min

Almost a month after legislative elections marked by record abstention and in a context of economic and social crisis, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune presented the new team.

On the domestic political level, little major change.

On the diplomatic level, on the other hand, a notable return, that of Ramtane Lamamra to Foreign Affairs.

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This is the only real surprise

of this new government

, the return of a heavyweight in Algerian diplomacy: Ramtane Lamamra, 69 years old.

He was already Minister of Foreign Affairs under Abdelaziz Bouteflika, between 2013 and 2017 and also a former peace and security commissioner of the African Union.

This return bodes well for Algeria's desire to put itself back at the center of regional strategic issues, particularly in the Sahel.

A desire also to weigh in against its lifelong rival: Morocco, which has gained ground with the recognition by the American administration of its sovereignty over Western Sahara.

On the Algerian domestic level, on the other hand, this new government is “ 

change in continuity

 ”.

Here is the sentence which returns in the mouths of the observers.

In total, 17 ministers from the previous team returned, no more women than before in the government.

And there is no representative of the Islamist movement as had been announced, despite their score in the legislative elections.

" 

Plan in difficulty

 "

For the researcher Kader Abderrahim, the composition of this team testifies " 

to a regime in difficulty, isolated, which first tightens the ranks at the level of the seraglio 

".

With " 

this new government without real novelty

 " on the domestic level, the opponent Zoubida Assoul says he regrets that the Algerian power " 

remains deaf to the calls of the Algerians

 ", two and a half years after

the first demonstrations of Hirak

and in a context of difficulties social conditions aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to her, a roadmap is urgently needed to get the country out of the economic crisis and dependence on hydrocarbons, free political detainees and guarantee the protection of journalists.

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• Algeria

• Abdelmadjid Tebboune