National Liberation Front, which is the party of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, voiced fears from the occurrence of turbulence resembling what happened in Tunisia in 2011, especially that the country, as it approaches the end of Bouteflika’s term, is facing a real financial crisis that is endured by low-income Algerians.
Secretary General of the National Liberation Front Gamal Ould Abbas said, Friday during a meeting with the party candidates in states and municipalities, that they are urged to look after citizens’ problems and seek solving them.
Algerian Minister of Interior Noureddine Badawi met, Thursday, candidates of the 1541 municipalities and expressed the same demand, given that the government hasn’t practiced austerity on the financial support allocated annually for municipalities.
Ould Abbas mentioned that 1200 municipalities suffer complete bankruptcy, adding that the party candidates who were elected during the local elections in November are asked to receive citizens and show them care.
“Remember what happened in Sidi Bouzid Governorate, a town south Tunisia, in which Tunisia lost its civil peace when a policewoman humiliated a citizen,” in a hint on Mohamed Bouazizi who put himself into fire as a protest when a policewoman confiscated his vegetables and fruits cart.
This incident spurred a national revolution against the regime in Tunisia, leading to the escape of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali from the country. It seems that the party of Bouteflika fears that such a scenario might happen in Algeria – these concerns emerge from security reports that there is a rage that might turn into popular turmoil.
Observers attribute this condition to the unjustified rise of prices and the state suspension of subsidies on several goods. Since 2014, everything has changed, and the authorities announced halting giant projects that demand enormous allocations.
