Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigns after 20 years

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Algeria’s president Abdelaziz Bouteflika has bowed to weeks of mass protests against his rule and resigned, abruptly putting an end to two decades in power.

The 82-year-old leader announced his resignation on Tuesday night via a brief message from the presidency saying he had “notified the president of the constitutional council of his decision to end his mandate”.

Jubilant, flag-waving Algerians celebrated on the streets of the capital, Algiers.

“This feels new. Personally, this will be the first new president I’ve experienced,” said Nourhane Atmani, a 20-year-old student from Algiers, who regularly took part in the protests calling for Bouteflika’s overthrow. “I’m happy, I’m excited and I’m scared,” she said. “But most importantly, I’m determined. This is just a first step. We’ll keep going until we have fair, transparent elections and a new government.”

-snip-

Ruth Michaelson
Tue 2 Apr 2019 22.30 BST First published on Tue 2 Apr 2019 20.14 BST


Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/02/algeria-latest-news-president-abdelaziz-bouteflika-resigns

[moondust]

1. Congratulations, Algeria!

Millions in the streets for 6 weeks and it finally worked (thanks largely to the military's support for their cause). Now it's on to the difficult task of installing a replacement who isn't corrupt and isn't a military dictator as in nearby Egypt. Good luck! Show us how it's done!