ALGIERS (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Algerians rallied on Friday to demand the immediate resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is fighting for his political survival in the face of unrelenting protests and the desertion of long-time allies.

The march remained largely peaceful with police using tear gas only in isolated cases such as to stop youth approaching the presidential palace, a Reuters reporter and state news agency APS said.

Despite heavy rain and cold weather, the turnout was as large as last Friday, as protesters carrying the national flag packed central Algiers, the scene of mass protests for a month.

“We stay here until the whole system goes,” said Mahmoud Timar, a 37-year old teacher.

Bouteflika, 82 and rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke five years ago, bowed to the protesters last week by reversing plans to stand in elections for a fifth term.

But he stopped short of quitting as head of state and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted. The move further enraged Algerians, and many of Bouteflika’s allies have turned against him.

“We are close to victory. The system is divided,” said restaurant owner Rachid Zemmir, 55.

There were also protests in other cities such as Serif, El Oued and Skikda, television footage showed.

ARMY, RULING PARTY BACK PROTESTS

Even if Bouteflika quits, it is not clear if the swelling protest movement can take on the opaque network of ruling party leaders, business tycoons and army generals long regarded as paramount.

These figures may be happy to see Bouteflika go but are likely to resist any major changes, as they have done before.

Police officers attempt to disperse demonstrators trying to force their way to the presidential palace during a protest calling on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to quit, in Algiers, Algeria March 22, 2019. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

Bouteflika has a track record of outmaneuvering anyone perceived as a threat. First elected president in 1999, he wrested power from the secretive military-based establishment known as “le pouvoir” (the power).

In 2015, Bouteflika sacked powerful intelligence chief Mohamed Mediene, dubbed “Algeria’s God”. Last year he dismissed about a dozen top military officers.

In the most dramatic development in a month of demonstrations, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah threw the army’s weight behind the protesters on Wednesday, saying they had expressed “noble aims”.

That was a major setback for Bouteflika, who bolstered his position over the years with the help of the army, and oligarchs who funded his election campaigns.

“The people and the army are brothers,” protesters chanted on Friday. A man held up a FedEx box with a photograph of Bouteflika taped to it beside a Return to Sender stamp.

The military has been patiently watching the protests unfold.

The generals have intervened in the past at momentous times, including cancelling an election which Islamists were poised to win in 1992, triggering a civil war in which an estimated 200,000 people were killed.

Some members of the ruling National Liberation Front party, known by its French acronym FLN, have also sided with the protesters. But Algerians want to dismantle the entire moribund political system.

“FLN, go,” protesters chanted.

They held up a poster with photographs of the people they want to dethrone, including Bouteflika, his brother Said - widely believed to be running the country - and the newly appointed prime minister.

In the past, Bouteflika and his inner circle of fellow veterans of the 1954-1962 war to end French colonial rule, FLN officials and the military skilfully managed crises.

Slideshow (8 Images)

Algerians say Bouteflika, who joined the struggle against France in the 1950s at the age of 19, is out of touch and living in the past.

“The old guard has exploited the country’s wealth. The time has come for us to have our stake,” said hairdresser Mohamed Henni, 32, marching with his wife and children.

By nightfall most protesters had gone, after cleaning up the streets as they have done in previous weeks.</s>Hundreds of thousands of Algerians rallied on Friday to demand the immediate resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is fighting for his political survival in the face of relentless protests and the desertion of long-time allies.

In heavy rain, protesters brandished Algerian flags and pamphlets. Police trucks were deployed but there were no reports of clashes between security forces and crowds that packed downtown Algiers.

"We stay here until the whole system goes," said Mahmoud Timar, a 37-year old teacher.

Bouteflika, 82 and rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke five years ago, bowed to the protesters last week by reversing plans to stand in elections for a fifth term and promising reforms to make the political system more inclusive.

But he stopped short of quitting and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted, effectively extending his present term. The move further enraged Algerians, and many of Bouteflika's allies turned against him.

"We are close to victory. The system is divided," said restaurant owner Rachid Zemmir, 55, at Friday's rally.

Bouteflika has a track record of consolidating power by outmaneuvering anyone seen as a threat. First elected president in 1999, he wrested power from the secretive military-based establishment known as "le pouvoir" [the power].

In 2015, Bouteflika sacked powerful intelligence chief Mohamed Mediene, dubbed "Algeria's God." Last year he dismissed about a dozen top military officers.

In the most significant development in a month of demonstrations, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah threw the army's weight behind the protesters on Wednesday, saying they had expressed "noble aims."

That was a major setback for Bouteflika, who bolstered his position over the years with the help of the army and oligarchs who funded his election campaigns.

"The people and the army are brothers," protesters chanted on Friday.

Soldiers have stayed in their barracks through the unrest. The generals have intervened in the past at momentous times, including canceling an election which Islamists were poised to win in 1992, triggering a civil war in which an estimated 200,000 people were killed.

Some members of the ruling National Liberation Front party, known by its French acronym FLN, have also sided with the protesters. But Algerians want to dismantle the entire moribund political system.

In the past, Bouteflika and his inner circle of fellow veterans of the 1954-1962 war to end French colonial rule, FLN officials and the military skillfully managed crises.

Algerians complain that Bouteflika, who joined the struggle against France in the 1950s at the age of 19, is out of touch and living in the past.

Algeria is a major oil and gas producer, and when the "Arab Spring" revolts toppled autocrats in neighboring countries, Bouteflika used oil revenues to secure loyalty.

Algerians with dark memories of the civil war in the 1990s set aside the same frustrations that triggered revolts elsewhere, giving Bouteflika breathing space.

But the price of crude oil has dropped over the years and the young are desperate for jobs, and an end to nepotism.

Bouteflika said in a speech in 2012 that it was time for his generation to hand over to new leaders. Many Algerians believe his brother Said is now effectively running the show.

Even if Bouteflika quits, it is not clear if the swelling protest movement can take on the secretive network of ruling party leaders, business tycoons and army generals long regarded as omnipotent.

These figures may be happy to see Bouteflika go but are likely to resist any major changes, as they have done before.</s>related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

3 related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

ALGIERS: Hundreds of thousands of Algerians rallied on Friday (Mar 22) to demand the immediate resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is fighting for his political survival in the face of unrelenting protests and the desertion of long-time allies.

Protesters carrying the national flag packed central Algiers. "We stay here until the whole system goes," said Mahmoud Timar, a 37-year old teacher.

Bouteflika, 82 and rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke five years ago, bowed to the protesters last week by reversing plans to stand in elections for a fifth term.

But he stopped short of quitting as head of state and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted. The move further enraged Algerians, and many of Bouteflika's allies have turned against him.

"We are close to victory. The system is divided," said restaurant owner Rachid Zemmir, 55.

Even if Bouteflika quits, it is not clear if the swelling protest movement can take on the opaque network of ruling party leaders, business tycoons and army generals long regarded as paramount.

These figures may be happy to see Bouteflika go but are likely to resist any major changes, as they have done before.

Bouteflika has a track record of outmanoeuvring anyone perceived as a threat. First elected president in 1999, he wrested power from the secretive military-based establishment known as "le pouvoir" (the power).

In 2015, Bouteflika sacked powerful intelligence chief Mohamed Mediene, dubbed "Algeria's God". Last year he dismissed about a dozen top military officers.

In the most dramatic development in a month of demonstrations, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah threw the army's weight behind the protesters on Wednesday, saying they had expressed "noble aims".

That was a major setback for Bouteflika, who bolstered his position over the years with the help of the army, and oligarchs who funded his election campaigns.

"The people and the army are brothers," protesters chanted on Friday. A man held up a FedEx box with a photograph of Bouteflika taped to it beside a Return to Sender stamp.

The military has been patiently watching the protests unfold. Soldiers have stayed in their barracks.

The generals have intervened in the past at momentous times, including cancelling an election which Islamists were poised to win in 1992, triggering a civil war in which an estimated 200,000 people were killed.

Some members of the ruling National Liberation Front party, known by its French acronym FLN, have also sided with the protesters. But Algerians want to dismantle the entire moribund political system.

Braving heavy rain, Algerians held up a poster with photographs of the people they want to dethrone, including Bouteflika, his brother Said - widely believed to be running the country - and the newly-appointed prime minister.

In the past, Bouteflika and his inner circle of fellow veterans of the 1954-1962 war to end French colonial rule, FLN officials and the military skilfully managed crises.

Algerians say Bouteflika, who joined the struggle against France in the 1950s at the age of 19, is out of touch and living in the past.

"The old guard has exploited the country's wealth. The time has come for us to have our stake," said hairdresser Mohamed Henni, 32, marching with his wife and children.</s>ALGIERS (Reuters) - Thousands of Algerians rallied again on Friday to demand the immediate resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who is fighting for his political survival in the face of relentless protests and the desertion of long-time allies.

Defying heavy rain, the protesters brandished Algerian flags and pamphlets as they gathered in the same spot in the capital where a wave of demonstrations first erupted a month ago against Bouteflika’s 20-year rule.

“Rain will not prevent us from continuing pressure,” said student Ahmed Khoudja, 23, in a square in central Algiers.

The protests were expected to swell further after Friday prayers, as has happened on the four previous Fridays during this wave of demonstrations that kicked off on Feb 22.

“We stay here until the whole system goes,” said Mahmoud Timar, a 37-year old teacher.

Bouteflika, 82, rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke five years ago, bowed to the protesters last week by reversing plans to stand for a fifth term and promising an inclusive politics in Algeria, a major oil and gas producer.

But he stopped short of quitting and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted, effectively extending his present term. The move further enraged Algerians, and many of Bouteflika’s allies, from ruling party members to trade union leaders to tycoons, turned against him.

“We are close to victory. The system is divided,” said restaurant owner Rachid Zemmir, 55, at Friday’s rally.

In the most significant development in a month of demonstrations, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah on Wednesday threw the army’s weight behind the protesters, saying they had expressed “noble aims”.

Soldiers have stayed in their barracks through the unrest but the army has traditionally deeply influenced politics.

The generals have intervened in the past at momentous times, including cancelling an election which Islamists were poised to win in 1992, triggering a civil war in which an estimated 200,000 people were killed.

The ruling National Liberation Front party, known by its French acronym FLN, has also sided with the protesters.

In the past, Bouteflika and his inner circle of fellow veterans of the 1954-1962 war of independence against France, FLN officials and the military skillfully managed crises.

When the “Arab Spring” revolts toppled autocrats in neighboring countries, Bouteflika used oil revenues to secure loyalty — offering better salaries for state workers, housing and low-interest loans.

But the price of crude oil has dropped over the years and the young are desperate for jobs, an end to corruption and nepotism and a say in how the North African country is run.

Algerians who credited Bouteflika with negotiating an end to the civil war in the 1990s were eager for stability, even though they shared many of the frustrations which triggered revolts elsewhere.

While Bouteflika was adept at manipulating the opposition in the past, he now faces Algerians of all social classes and ages staging the biggest protests in decades.

Even if Bouteflika quits, it is not clear if the swelling protest movement can bring down the deep state - a secretive network of ruling party leaders, business tycoons and army generals long regarded as invincible.

These figures, who long managed politics in behind-the-scenes negotiations, may be happy to see Bouteflika go but are likely to resist any major political changes, as they have done in the past.</s>Algerians set to continue protest for Bouteflika to quit

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Organizers in Algeria are predicting huge demonstrations across the country's major cities as protesters step up their demand for the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

It's the fifth straight Friday since nationwide anti-Bouteflika protests began Feb. 22 that Algerians have taken to the streets.

Workers of Sonatrach, the national oil company whose executives are close to Bouteflika, held a symbolic sit-in Thursday in solidarity with the protests that span all sections of society including the country's youth and doctors.

New Prime Minister Nourredine Bedoui is still struggling to form a government with many potential candidates sought to keep their distance from the unpopular president.</s>ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Thousands of Algerians are demonstrating in the major cities of the oil-rich North African country, demanding the resignation of ailing, 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The number of protesters was much smaller than predicted by organizers, however, as rain appeared to dampen attendance on the fifth straight Friday since nationwide anti-Bouteflika protests began on Feb. 22.

Families joined professionals and students in the central squares of Algiers, the capital, holding signs reading “Get Out, Bouteflika” and “No Mandate Extension.”

Bouteflika last week indefinitely postponed April’s national election and overhauled the government. While he abandoned his bid for a fifth term in office, his simultaneous postponement of the election has critics worried that he intends to hold on to power indefinitely. He has been president since 1999.

Bouteflika, badly weakened by a 2013 stroke, has remained an enigma, with very few public appearances. The president returned earlier this month after two weeks in a Geneva hospital, but the exact state of his health is unclear.

Workers at Sonatrach, the national oil company whose executives are close to Bouteflika, held a symbolic sit-in Thursday in solidarity with the protests that span all sections of society.

New Prime Minister Nourredine Bedoui has promised to create a new cabinet within days to respond to the demands of Algeria’s demonstrators. Yet, Bedoui is still struggling to form a government, with many potential candidates seeking to keep their distance from the unpopular president.</s>Algerians were set to launch another round of massive street demonstrations on Friday, a month after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term sparked a protest movement that shows little sign of abating.

The last two Fridays, the Muslim day of prayer, have seen record numbers of protesters hit the streets of Algiers.

Security sources have cited demonstrations in 40 out of the North African country’s 48 provinces, while foreign diplomats say “millions” of Algerians have rallied against Bouteflika extending his two-decade rule.

Bouteflika said on February 22 he would run for a fifth term in April 18 elections, despite concerns about his ability to rule.

The 82-year-old uses a wheelchair and has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.

Following initial protests, he made the surprise announcement on March 11 that he was pulling out of the race - but postponed the poll.

Protesters initially greeted the move with elation, but staged further mass demonstrations after they realized he intended to remain in office.

ALSO READ: Thousands rally in Algiers as protest leaders tell army to stay away

Organizers have used social media this week to call for further protests against Bouteflika and those around him.

“The Algerian people demand the immediate and unconditional departure of President Bouteflika,” read one widely-shared post, which demanded that “the leaders of countries that support Algeria’s illegitimate power stop... their interference”.

Forecasts of bad weather did not appear to dampen the determination of organizers, who encouraged protesters to bring along umbrellas adorned with the national flag.

“The street will roar in the rain,” wrote one activist on Twitter.

The demonstrations, unprecedented since Bouteflika won a first term in 1999, have remained largely peaceful.

The government has responded with promises of political and constitutional reform.

Authorities have pledged to hold a “national conference” to discuss reforms, followed by a referendum on a new constitution and eventually the election of a new president.

Deputy Prime Minister Ramtane Lamamra on Tuesday promised “open and transparent” steps to resolve the country’s political crisis, as Algeria’s ally Russia backed his government’s plans.

Lamamra said Algeria was developing a “concept of a future state” and that a new constitution would be written “on the basis of an open and transparent discussion.”

He said the national conference would decide the date of future elections and that Bouteflika was “ready to fully transfer his powers” to a new president.

But students, professors, medics, lawyers and magistrates have continued to protest this week and cracks have emerged within Bouteflika’s own regime.

His National Liberation Front party said Wednesday it supports protesters’ calls for change, while the main trade union confederation and business organization have been hit by dissent and resignations over their leadership’s initial support of Bouteflika.</s>ALGIERS (Reuters) - One of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s few remaining allies in the face of mass protests, tycoon Ali Haddad, is facing pressure to quit as head of Algeria’s main business association, a move that would further weaken the embattled head of state.

Bouteflika’s long-time strategic partners, from members of the governing FLN party to trade unionists, have abandoned the president, peeling away layers of his ruling elite.

The 82-year-old president also relied on influential figures like Ali Haddad, who has made billions through public works projects awarded by the government and investments in the media.

He also funded Bouteflika’s election campaigns and heads the FCE, a top business association whose leaders have been long-time supporters of the president.

But since the protests began on Feb. 22, the forum for entrepreneurs has been hit by a series of resignations from members who have turned their backs on Bouteflika.

“Voices inside the FCE exist and they have publicly called for an extraordinary General Assembly to replace Ali Haddad,” said Laid Benamor, former vice president of the organization, who resigned from it after the demonstrations began.

“He is today associated with cronyism and favors. The union must return to its original purpose, an apolitical economic space, to regain credibility.”

Haddad was not immediately available for comment.

A second businessman, Ourahmoune Nabil, described Haddad as one of the symbols of Bouteflika’s system of rule and added that he must go, echoing public sentiment.

“There won’t be a real change if Bouteflika leaves and Haddad stays,” he said.

The FCE was not immediately available for comment.

Bouteflika, 82, rarely seen in public since suffering a stroke five years ago, bowed to the protesters last week by reversing plans to stand for a fifth term. But he stopped short of quitting and said he would stay on until a new constitution is adopted, effectively extending his present term.

His move failed to appease Algerians, who want veterans of the 1954-62 independence war against France who dominate the establishment to quit so a new generation of leaders can take over and begin to create jobs, fight corruption and introduce greater freedoms.

Hundreds of thousands of Algerians have taken to the streets since peaceful protests erupted a month ago.

“The Bouteflika camp have not made a serious concession. They are seeking to extend Bouteflika’s term indefinitely. This has gone down like lead,” said Hugh Roberts, a professor of North African and Middle Eastern History at Tufts University.

Even if Bouteflika exits, a new crisis could erupt in Algeria, a major oil and gas producer. There is no clear successor with the backing of the army and under the age of 70.

The key measure of real change will be to what extent the old, stagnant political system will be dismantled. Protesters insist on a clean break from the past.

Bouteflika and his inner circle have built a secretive network of power over the years that includes the military.

The FLN issued a statement to “value” Bouteflika’s decisions, Ennahar TV cited party leader Moad Bouchareb as saying.

On Wednesday, the FLN sided with protesters after a meeting of its top officials, state news agency APS said. It quoted Bouchareb as saying the “FLN fully supports the popular protest movement.”

On Wednesday, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah threw the army’s weight behind protesters, saying they have expressed “noble aims.”

The generals have intervened at times in the past, including cancelling an election in 1992 that Islamists were poised to win, triggering years of civil war that killed up to 200,000 people.

Many Algerians are haunted by the conflict, which ravaged the North African country in the 1990s, and want to avoid bloodshed.

“For as long as things remain peaceful the army will probably hold back for a while. It is taking up a watching stance,” said Roberts.

“It is quite possible there is a serious debate going on within the highest echelon of the army. In a sense that has to be resolved before the army can act decisively.”

Radical Islamists are unlikely to play any role if Bouteflika is forced out because they army would not tolerate it. But moderate Islamists could be part of a new political landscape.

While Bouteflika has been an astute political survivor over the years, wresting power from security service power brokers, he is now politically weaker by the day, as allies abandon him.</s>ALGIERS, March 22 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Algerians took to the streets of the capital on Friday to demand President Abdelaziz Bouteflika quit immediately, as mass protests against the veteran leader entered a fourth week.

Protesters gathered in the city centre defying rain, carrying Algerian flags and pamphlets. "Rain will not stop us from continuing our pressure," said 23-year old Ahmed Khoudja.

Bouteflika, who has ruled for 20 years, bowed to the protesters last week by reversing plans to stand for a fifth term. But he has stopped short of stepping down and said he would stay in office until a new constitution is adopted, effectively extending his present term. (Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed Writing by Ulf Laessing Editing by Peter Graff)</s>ALGIERS, Algeria — Organizers in Algeria are predicting huge demonstrations across the country’s major cities as protesters step up their demand for the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

It’s the fifth straight Friday since nationwide anti-Bouteflika protests began Feb. 22 that Algerians have taken to the streets.

Workers of Sonatrach, the national oil company whose executives are close to Bouteflika, held a symbolic sit-in Thursday in solidarity with the protests that span all sections of society including the country’s youth and doctors.

New Prime Minister Nourredine Bedoui is still struggling to form a government with many potential candidates sought to keep their distance from the unpopular president.

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Hundreds of thousands of Algerians again rally, this week in heavy rain and cold weather, against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika demanding his immediate resignation. Bouteflika is fighting for his political survival in the face of unrelenting protests and the desertion of long-time allies.