Pressure on Bouteflika to go

HUNDREDS of students and doctors rallied in Algiers, Algeria, yesterday calling for president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to quit, and a new group headed by activists and opposition figures told the army not to interfere.

In the first direct message to the army from leaders emerging from nearly a month of mass protests against Bouteflika, the National Co-ordination for Change said the military should “play its constitutional role without interfering in the people’s choice”.

Bouteflika, who has ruled for 20 years, bowed to the protesters last week by announcing he would not stand for another term. But he stopped short of stepping down immediately and said he would stay in office until a new constitution is adopted, effectively extending his term.

His moves have done nothing to halt demonstrations, which peaked on Friday with hundreds of thousands of protesters on the streets of Algiers.

Yesterday, students massed in the centre of the capital while doctors began a protest nearby.

“We will not stop our pressure until he goes,” said student Ali Adjimi, 23.

The 82-year-old president has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.

Djilali Bahi, one of several hundred doctors at yesterday’s demonstration, said: “We are fed up with this system. It must disappear forever”. | Reuters