Huge protests ahead of poll as Algeria holds first televised presidential debate
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A vast crowd rallied in Algiers on the final Friday before a contentious presidential election as five of the candidates pariticipated in the country's first-ever televised election debate.
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It is a crucial time for Algeria after nationwide pro-democracy protests forced ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika out of power in April. But the countrys nine-month-old mass movement believes the presidential poll is a sham and fear it will be rigged in favor of the old regime.
On Friday in central Algiers they chanted "We will not vote" and held aloft banners reading "The people are fed up".
The army, the major force within the Algerian state, sees the Dec. 12 election of a new president as the only way to
restore normality. The leaderless opposition movement casts the election as pointless if the ruling hierarchy, including the army, continues to wield power, and wants it put off until more top officials step aside and the military quits politics.
"We will stick to our position. We don't care about next Thursday. We need change," said post office employee Aissa Bahai, 32.
As the last protesters were still leaving, state television began broadcasting a debate between the five men running for president, all of whom are former senior officials.
Some people were watching in Algiers cafes, though others were showing a soccer match, including some protesters who rejected it as political theatre.
"These candidates are part of the same system. They don't have new ideas. It's a shame," said Mohamed Tabi, a taxi driver.
The first question was about Algeria's political system, and candidates tried to mollify the opposition.
One candidate, Abdelaziz Belaid, said he would hold a referendum to change the constitution and another, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, said he would grant all the freedoms sought by the protesters.
Election first
The debate is the first in an Algerian election, and some people watching in a nearby restaurant said they were interested and were planning to vote.
Farid Hamiti, a state bank employee, said the election was "the only way to stop the situation from getting worse".
Though the protest movement, which during the spring was regularly bringing hundreds of thousands of people out, has so far been peaceful, there have been signs of growing tensions as the election nears.
Earlier this year the authorities detained dozens of protesters for waving flags with Berber symbols, as they began
to put more pressure on the marches. Many wereRead More – Source
