By Arezki Daoud – 6 June 2019 – Algeria’s Interim President, Abdelkader Bensalah, looking old and sick, just like Bouteflika before him, spoke tonight (Thursday, 6 June) in a highly provocative televised speech essentially to deliver nothing good, but more trouble ahead. In his evening speech he called on the political class, civil society and national personalities to “opt for the path of the inclusive dialogue in order to lay the foundations of the process of consultation,” with a view to solving the current political mess he and his Bouteflikist clan have created to begin with. The very presence of Bensalah in front of TV will undoubtedly stir more passion among virtually all Algerians who, for months, have been calling for his resignation. The man is now clinging to the presidential seat in complete illegality. The constitution that he helped promote did not even anticipate the current political turmoil, and therefore he is now ruling without the rule of law. The man has no shame and no moral compass, and the Algerian people are now stuck.
In his daring message, Bensalah spoke of the “path of inclusive dialogue,” and by inclusive he probably means he is nowhere to go, and the Algerians will have to deal with him no matter what. He even talked about “the next presidential election,” as if the collapsed 4 July election is not enough proof of his mediocrity that Algerians need another one under his watch. “Algeria needs reforms and new horizons at the political and socioeconomic levels, a wish clearly and peacefully expressed by our people who must also face many and oh so difficult challenges and issues requiring the mobilization of all the active forces “, he said. No kidding, but it starts with your departure, Mr. Interim President.
To add more fuel to the fire, Bensalah, just like his boss General Gaid Salah, two men who are pushing the age of 80, insists on the politically suicidal idea of “only a democratically elected President will enjoy the confidence and the legitimacy to launch these reforms and help meet the challenges facing our nation.” He may be correct, but not with the remnants of the Bouteflika regime in charge of such process. He now doubles down again that “the organization of a Presidential Election in a timely manner, without any loss of time, is the only way out,” knowing fully that the population is simply fed up by the current regime and they are not ready to talk to them.
Bensalah, who undoubtedly receives marching orders from the Generals, reiterated his already bankrupt idea of a conference, which he rebranded now as “the consensus process,” inviting everyone to “seize this new opportunity to get fully involved in the dialogue that we are advocating today more than ever.” This is the pinnacle of arrogance.
While the Algerian regime is not using the same method of violence used by their peers in Sudan, it is clearly betting that its delaying and stalling tactics will succeed in turning the protests into an exhausted movement. Well, tactics are not strategies. You can have as many of them, but without an effective endgame, such tactics will only buy some more time. If they truly believe that Algerians will ease their pressure, they are in for a surprise. Tomorrow Friday will prove them wrong again.
For the millions of Algerians who have been hoping that a peaceful transition will take place, this speech is likely to send chills down their spines. The game of stalling and delaying is a clear indication that the regime is frightened that a transition without them will inevitably lead them to jail, just where the mighty Said Bouteflika, Tartag and Toufik ended up going. These men have many skeletons in their closets, so clinging to power is the only hope they have to escape true justice.
Algeria interim leader calls for ‘dialogue’ over election
Algiers, June 6, 2019 (AFP) – Interim Algerian president Abdelkader Bensalah on Thursday called for “dialogue” after the authorities ruled out holding a planned election on July 4. Bensalah urged the political class and civil society in the North African country to hold an “inclusive dialogue” aimed at fixing a new date for elections “as soon as possible” in a televised address. Algeria’s constitutional council said Sunday it was impossible to stage the poll to choose a successor to ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika early next month, after the only two candidates were rejected. The move comes after weeks of demonstrations intended to pressure political leaders into postponing the vote.
Bensalah, the former upper house speaker, was appointed on April 9 under constitutional rules which deem a presidential election must then be held within 90 days. With that deadline certain to be missed, the constitutional council has suggested his mandate be extended. The planned vote had drawn widespread protests, with Algerian demonstrators demanding Bouteflika allies step aside to make way for a broader political overhaul before any elections are held.
Army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah has emerged as a key powerbroker since Bouteflika stepped down on April 2 in the face of mass protests against his bid for a fifth term. Gaid Salah had been an ally of the ailing president, but as pressure from demonstrators mounted he ultimately called for the long-time leader’s impeachment.
Protesters have since called for Gaid Salah to step down, along with other top figures they argue are tainted by their allegiance to Bouteflika during his 20-year rule. While Gaid Salah had pushed for polls, July 4 looked increasingly implausible as no major party nominated a candidate. A major obstacle emerged when some mayors and magistrates said they would not take part in organising the polls. The two unknown figures who put themselves forward — Abdelhakim Hamadi and Hamid Touahri — had not been expected to gather the necessary 60,000 voter signatures to validate their bid for office.
