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Algerian protests press for Bouteflika’s resignation

ALGERIA saw its biggest protest yet over the weekend as former political allies began to turn on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika with demands for his immediate resignation.

Huge crowds gathered in the capital Algiers and thousands draped in the country’s red, white and green flag poured onto the streets after Friday prayers.

They want the ailing 82-year-old, who recently backed down over plans to stand for a fifth term of office, to resign immediately and have rejected proposals for a “technocratic government” suggested by new Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui.

Anti-Macron slogans were also heard as protests in the former French colony continued for the fifth week. 

Former government spokesman Hocine Kheldoun became one of the most senior FLN officials to break with Bouteflika, publicly saying the party had to look forward and support the aims of demonstrators.

Talks on Algeria’s political future are set to be led by UN diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, who said it was necessary to “turn this crisis into a constructive process.”

A national conference which will involve some of those demonstrating and figures from the Algerian liberation movement will be tasked with drafting a new constitution and will set a date for elections.

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