Protesters crammed streets and squares in the capital after Friday prayers, many draped in Algeria’s red, green and white flag. Demonstrations also took place in Bejaia, Oran, Batna, and Tizi Ouzou
Algerians demonstrate near the May 1st square during the first Friday rally since the president's surprise announcement this week that he would not seek re-election but was cancelling April polls, in central Algiers on March 15, 2019.Hundreds of thousands of people protested in central Algiers on Friday in the biggest demonstration against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s 20-year rule since unrest began last month.
Algerians quickly rejected his offer and demanded that the 82-year-old president hand over power to a young generation of leaders who can create jobs and stamp out corruption. A senior FLN figure said in an interview on Thursday night the long-ruling president was “history now.” Bouteflika has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. Protesters say he is no longer fit for office.
Algeria is a major oil and gas producer, but so far exports have not suffered from the unrest. Its biggest oil field Hassi Messaoud and its Hassi Rmel gas field have not been affected, a source from state oil giant Sonatrach told Reuters.
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