ALGIERS (Reuters) - A total of 183 people were injured during protests across Algeria on Friday against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for election to a fifth term, the state news agency APS said on Saturday, citing the health ministry.

Police officers try to disperse people trying to reach the government palace during a protest against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's plan to extend his 20-year rule by seeking a fifth term in April elections in Algiers, Algeria, March 1, 2019. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

One person died of a heart attack, officials said earlier.

Tens of thousands of protesters called on the ailing, 82-year-old Bouteflika to abandon plans to seek re-election in an April presidential vote — Algeria’s biggest anti-government rallies since the Arab Spring eight years ago.

He has not formally confirmed he will stand, although representatives have indicated he will do so. APS reported on Saturday that Bouteflika had named Abdelghani Zaalane as his campaign director.

Friday’s protests were mostly peaceful but scuffles between police and protesters broke out in the evening near the presidential place in the capital Algiers.

Algiers was quiet on Saturday.

Large-scale demonstrations — rarely seen in Algeria with its ubiquitous security services — against Bouteflika’s re-election move began a week ago, but Friday saw the biggest turnout yet.

Bouteflika suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been seen in public only a few times since. His re-election bid stoked resentment among Algerians who believe he is not fit to run the major oil- and gas-producing country.

Bouteflika’s campaign manager had said on Tuesday he would submit his official application on Sunday, the deadline for candidates. Bouteflika, who turned 82 on Saturday, has not directly addressed the protests.

Authorities said last week he would travel to Geneva for unspecified medical checks. Swiss television said on Friday Bouteflika was at Geneva University Hospital. There was no official confirmation that Bouteflika was in the Swiss city.

Related Coverage Algeria's Bouteflika names new election campaign director

Many Algerians for years avoided politics in public, fearing trouble from the security services or disillusioned as the country has been run by the same group of veterans since the 1954-1962 independence war with France.

Bouteflika has ruled since 1999 and stamped out a decade-long Islamist insurgency early in his rule. Algerians have long tolerated a political system with little space for dissent as a price to pay for peace and stability.

A weak and divided opposition faces high hurdles in mounting an electoral challenge. Since the FLN party again picked Bouteflika as its presidential candidate, several parties, trade unions and business groups have endorsed him.</s>ALGIERS (Reuters) - A total of 183 people were injured during protests across Algeria on Friday against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for election to a fifth term, the state news agency APS said on Saturday, citing the health ministry.

One person died of a heart attack, officials said earlier.

Tens of thousands of protesters called on the ailing, 82-year-old Bouteflika to abandon plans to seek re-election in an April presidential vote - Algeria’s biggest anti-government rallies since the Arab Spring eight years ago.

The protests were mostly peaceful but scuffles between police and protesters broke out late on Friday near the presidential place in the capital Algiers.

Large-scale demonstrations - rarely seen in Algeria with its ubiquitous security services - against Bouteflika’s re-election move began a week ago, but Friday saw the biggest turnout yet.

Bouteflika suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been seen in public only a few times since. His re-election bid stoked resentment among Algerians who believe he is not fit to run the major oil- and gas-producing country.

Bouteflika’s campaign manager had said on Tuesday he would submit his official application on Sunday, the deadline for candidates. Bouteflika, who turned 82 on Saturday, has not directly addressed the protests.

Authorities said last week he would travel to Geneva for unspecified medical checks. Swiss television said on Friday Bouteflika was at Geneva University Hospital. There was no official confirmation that Bouteflika was in the Swiss city.

Many Algerians for years avoided politics in public, fearing trouble from the security services or disillusioned as the country has been run by the same group of veterans since the 1954-1962 independence war with France.

Bouteflika has ruled since 1999 and stamped out a decade-long Islamist insurgency early in his rule. Algerians have long tolerated a political system with little space for dissent as a price to pay for peace and stability.

A weak and divided opposition faces high hurdles in mounting an electoral challenge. Since the long-ruling FLN party again picked Bouteflika as its presidential candidate, several parties, trade unions and business groups have endorsed him.</s>A total of 183 people were injured during protests across Algeria on Friday against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for election to a fifth term, the state news agency APS said on Saturday, citing the health ministry.

One person died of a heart attack, officials said earlier.

Tens of thousands of protesters called on the ailing, 82-year-old Bouteflika to abandon plans to seek re-election in an April presidential vote — Algeria’s biggest anti-government rallies since the Arab Spring eight years ago.

He has not formally confirmed he will stand, although representatives have indicated he will do so. APS reported on Saturday that Bouteflika had named Abdelghani Zaalane as his campaign director. Zaalane replaced former premier Abdelmalek Sellal.

Bouteflika sacked his campaign manager Sellal on Saturday, state media reported, following mass protests against the ailing leader’s bid to stand for a fifth term in office.

Friday’s protests were mostly peaceful but scuffles between police and protesters broke out in the evening near the presidential place in the capital Algiers.

Large-scale demonstrations — rarely seen in Algeria with its ubiquitous security services — against Bouteflika’s re-election move began a week ago, but Friday saw the biggest turnout yet.

Bouteflika suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been seen in public only a few times since. His re-election bid stoked resentment among Algerians who believe he is not fit to run the major oil- and gas-producing country.

Bouteflika’s campaign manager had said on Tuesday he would submit his official application on Sunday, the deadline for candidates. Bouteflika, who turned 82 on Saturday, has not directly addressed the protests.

Authorities said last week he would travel to Geneva for unspecified medical checks. Swiss television said on Friday Bouteflika was at Geneva University Hospital. There was no official confirmation that Bouteflika was in the Swiss city.

Bouteflika has ruled since 1999 and stamped out a decade-long Islamist insurgency early in his rule. Algerians have long tolerated a political system with little space for dissent as a price to pay for peace and stability.

A weak and divided opposition faces high hurdles in mounting an electoral challenge. Since the FLN party again picked Bouteflika as its presidential candidate, several parties, trade unions and business groups have endorsed him.</s>Anti-government protests resumed in Algeria on Sunday as thousands gathered in the capital and other towns to demand Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika drop plans to stand for a fifth term, witnesses and residents said.

 

 In a rare wave of public opposition, Algerians have been taking to the streets since rallies calling on him to step down began 10 days ago.

Bouteflika, 82, in shaky health for years, was due to submit his official election papers at the Constitutional Council in Algiers on Sunday, the deadline for candidates.

 

 He need not do so in person, the state news agency APS said.

Bouteflika, rarely seen in public since he suffered a stroke in 2013, was still in Switzerland over the weekend for unspecified medical checks, according to Swiss media.

 

 Algeria’s weak and divided opposition and civic groups have called for more protests should Bouteflika, in power since 1999, confirm his re-election bid. But analysts say the movement is lacking a leader and organization in a country still dominated by veterans of the 1954-62 independence war against France.

 

 Hundreds of students gathered inside a university campus near the Constitutional Council where presidential candidates file their papers, chanting: “No to a fifth term!”

 

 Witnesses also reported protests in other higher education faculties in Algiers and cities such as Oran in the west of the North African country, a major producer of oil and natural gas.

 

 There was heavy security around the Constitutional Council, and police prevented students from leaving the campus, a roughly 10-minute walk away.

 

 The first candidate to submit his papers was Ali Ghediri, a retired general who is challenging the elite made up of military, ruling FLN party and business leaders. “I tell the people a new dawn has started,” he told reporters.

 

 Bouteflika changed his campaign manager on Saturday, state media said. He has not addressed the protests against him – the biggest since the 2011 uprisings that ousted long entrenched elites in a number of Arab countries, though not in Algeria.

 

 Opponents say that Bouteflika is no longer fit to lead, citing his poor health, and what they call undiminished corruption, and a lack of reforms to tackle high unemployment, and red tape hampering the economy.

 

 Friday saw the largest turnout to date in the protest wave, with tens of thousands in the streets. A total of 183 people were injured and one person died of a heart attack, APS said.

 

 Many Algerians avoided public political activity for years, for fear of trouble from the pervasive security services or out of disillusionment with the lack of change in the leadership.

 

 After a decade-long Islamist insurgency that Bouteflika stamped out early in his rule, Algerians have often tolerated a political system with little space for dissent as a price to pay for relative peace and stability.</s>ALGIERS (Reuters) - Anti-government protests resumed in Algeria on Sunday as tens of thousands gathered in the capital and other towns to demand Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika drop plans to stand for a fifth term, witnesses and residents said.

In a rare wave of public dissent, Algerians have been taking to the streets since rallies calling on him to step down began 10 days ago. Bouteflika, 82, in shaky health for years, was due to submit his official election papers at the Constitutional Council in Algiers on Sunday, the deadline for candidates.

He need not do so in person, the state news agency APS said. Bouteflika, rarely seen in public since he suffered a stroke in 2013, was at the weekend still in Switzerland for unspecified medical checks, according to Swiss media.

Algeria’s weak and divided opposition and civic groups have called for more protests should Bouteflika, who has been in power for 20 years, confirm his re-election bid.

Opponents say that Bouteflika is no longer fit to lead, citing his poor health and what they call chronic corruption and a lack of economic reforms to tackle unemployment that exceeds 25 percent among people under the age of 30.

But analysts say protesters lack leadership and organisation in a country still dominated by veterans, like Bouteflika, of the 1954-62 independence war against France.

Thousands of students gathered at several university faculties, one of them near the Constitutional Council where presidential candidates file their papers, chanting: “No to a fifth term!” or “A free and democratic Algeria!”

There was heavy security around the Constitutional Council, and police prevented restive students from leaving the campus nearby, keeping the main gates shut. But some students were seen later marching outside.

“We will not stop until we get rid of this system,” said Aicha, a 23-year-old student. Many university graduates face joblessness in an economy dominated by the state.

MORE PROTESTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

According to witnesses and local television footage, protesters also turned out in their thousands in other cities around the major oil- and gas-producing country, such as Oran, Batna, Blida, Skikda and Bouira.

The first candidate to submit his papers was Ali Ghediri, a retired general who is challenging the elite made up of military, ruling FLN party and business leaders. “I tell the people a new dawn has started,” he told reporters.

By midday, six candidates had formally registered. There was no sign of Bouteflika’s bid.

Bouteflika changed his campaign manager on Saturday, state media said. He has not addressed the protests against him - the biggest since the 2011 uprisings that ousted long entrenched elites in a number of Arab countries, though not in Algeria.

Friday saw the largest turnout to date in the protest wave, with tens of thousands in the streets. A total of 183 people were injured and one person died of a heart attack, APS said.

Many Algerians avoided public political activity for years, for fear of trouble from the pervasive security services or out of disillusionment with the lack of change in the leadership.

After a decade-long Islamist insurgency that Bouteflika stamped out early in his rule, Algerians have often tolerated a political system with little space for dissent as a price to pay for relative peace and stability.

But disaffection has simmered with over one in four young people unemployed in a country that remains heavily reliant on oil and gas exports, despite numerous official promises of economic diversification over many years.</s>The son of Algeria's first prime minister has died while taking part in a protest against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term in office, a government official and a family member said on Saturday.

Interior Minister Noureddine Bedoui identified the man as Hassan Benkhedda, a son of the late Benyoucef Benkhedda, who took power after the country gained independence from France in 1962.

"The forensic medical investigations will clarify causes and circumstances of his death," the minister said in a tweet.

Benkhedda, believed to be in his 50s, was killed in a clash between police and "thugs unrelated to the protesters," the minister said in a separate statement online.

In a Facebook post, Salim Benkhedda said that his brother Hassan had participated in the mass protests near the presidential palace in central Algiers on Friday and blamed what he called the "ruling gang and its thugs" for the death.

The death is the first to happen in protests that erupted more than a week ago against Bouteflika's plan to run in next month's presidential election.

Many Algerians believe Bouteflika is unfit to hold the presidency. The 81-year-old suffered a stroke in 2013 and is rarely seen in public.

Nevertheless, his campaign manager said this week that Bouteflika would submit his candidacy documents for the April 18 election on Sunday, the final day for registration.

On Friday, tens of thousands of Algerians took to the streets in several parts of the country against Bouteflika's re-election plan.

Some 56 policemen were injured during the protests and around 45 protesters were arrested, according to a security agency.

In a statement carried by the Algerian state television, the security general directorate said that seven people were also injured.

Algerian authorities have said they will be making a major announcement concerning the protests on Saturday evening.</s>ALGIERS (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people in cities across Algeria called on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to leave office on Friday in the biggest anti-government demonstrations there since the Arab Spring eight years ago.

The protests were mostly peaceful but as crowds receded by late afternoon, scuffles broke out in the capital Algiers between police and protesters near the presidential palace, witnesses said.

Several protesters and policemen were wounded during clashes in Algiers, state television said, without giving further details.

Earlier a sea of people, young and old, had thronged the streets after Friday prayers, chanting “Bye, bye Bouteflika!” and “Peaceful! Peaceful!”. Many were draped in the Algerian flag and carried placards and banners.

Large scale demonstrations - rarely seen in Algeria - against plans for Bouteflika to seek a fifth term in power in April elections began a week ago but Friday saw the biggest turnout yet.

The 81-year-old suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been seen in public only a few times since. His re-election bid stoked resentment among Algerians who believe he is not fit to lead.

“Look at the Algerian youth, all they are demanding is a valid president who can talk to the people,” said Hamdane Salim, a 45-year-old public sector worker. “Twenty years are enough,” said Khadidja, a woman accompanied by her husband and children.

Among the crowd was Djamila Bouhired, 83, a heroine of the 1954-1962 independence war against France, who told reporters: “I’m happy to be here.”

After hours of marching, many protesters began walking home but some stayed on, dancing and singing.

“This is a celebration, not a protest. We are celebrating Algeria’s rebirth,” said Ali Selmi. “It’s like the end of a football match and Algeria won 3-0.”

Mohammed Saadi, another young man, said: “Our battle will continue until we win.”

Later Reuters TV footage showed police in riot gear and protesters facing off on a street near the presidential palace swathed in tear gas. Witnesses said clashes resulted in injuries on both sides.

Large crowds also gathered in the cities of Oran, Constantine, Setif, Tizi Ouzou and Bouira, residents and local media said.

Bouteflika, who will turn 82 on Saturday, has not directly addressed the protests. The authorities said last he would travel to Geneva for unspecified medical checks, although there was no official confirmation he had travelled.

Local television stations reported the protests but there was no live coverage. State television and the official news agency APS both provided rare coverage of the march which they said had been largely peaceful.

State media had on Tuesday started covering the dissent after journalist employees pressured management.

Many Algerians for years avoided politics in public fearing trouble from the omnipresent security services or disillusioned as the country has been run by the same group of veterans since the 1954-1962 independence war with France.

There appeared to be few such inhibitions on Friday.

“People want to overthrow the regime,” some chanted, using a slogan from the 2011 “Arab spring” turmoil which toppled leaders in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia.

Bouteflika himself has ruled since 1999 and stamped out a decade-long Islamist insurgency early in his rule. Many Algerians have long tolerated a political system with little space for dissent as a price to pay for peace and stability.

But the new protest waves appears to have broken the long taboo on public discussion of politics.

According to Bouteflika’s opponents, there is no evidence he is fit enough to lead the country and that it is being ruled in his name by advisers. Authorities say he retains a firm grip on public affairs despite the rarity of his appearances.

A weak and divided opposition faces high hurdles in mounting an electoral challenge. Since the long-ruling FLN party again picked Bouteflika as its presidential candidate, several parties, trade unions and business groups have endorsed him.

Lower oil prices in recent years have damaged Algeria’s economy, rekindling discontent and making it more difficult to buy off dissent, as in 2011, when authorities expanded a welfare state.</s>Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has reportedly submitted official papers confirming he will seek re-election, despite mass protests against the move.

There was no official confirmation, but state news agency APS published his asset declaration on Sunday, which is a formal requirement to run in the election.

Tens of thousands of protesters had been rallying throughout the day in cities around Algeria to call for Bouteflika to step down.

Numbers were approaching the levels of Friday when demonstrators filled the centre of the capital Algiers in one of the biggest outpourings of dissent - rare in Algeria - since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

Opponents of Bouteflika, 82 and in shaky health for years, say he is no longer fit to lead, citing his poor health and what they call chronic corruption and a lack of economic reforms to tackle high unemployment that exceeds 25 per cent among people under the age of 30.

Analysts say the protesters, who began hitting the streets 10 days ago, lack leadership and organisation in a country still dominated by veterans, like Bouteflika, of the 1954-62 independence war against France.

The government has played on fears among many Algerians of a return of bloodshed seen in the 1990s when an estimated 200,000 people were killed after Islamists took up arms when the military cancelled elections they were poised to win.

But the new series of protests have been generally peaceful, apart from Friday when scuffles with police left 183 injured.

Thousands of students gathered on Sunday at university faculties, one of them near the Constitutional Council where presidential candidates filed their papers, chanting: "No to a fifth term!" or "A free and democratic Algeria!"

There was heavy security around the Constitutional Council, and police prevented restive students from leaving the campus nearby, keeping the main gates shut.</s>Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has changed his campaign manager for an April election in which he is expected to seek a fifth term, state news agency APS said on Saturday.

News of Abdelghani Zaalane’s appointment came a day after tens of thousands of Algerians protested against a further presidential term for the 82-year-old, who is in Switzerland for medical checks. Zaalane is a minister.

APS did give any reason for Bouteflika’s decision to replace his previous campaign manager Abdelmalek Sellal, who had said on Tuesday that the president would submit official election papers on Sunday, the deadline for candidates.

Opponents say Bouteflika, who suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been seen in public only a few times since, is no longer fit to lead the North African country, a major oil and gas producer.

But in a sign of weakness to mount a challenge against the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN), an umbrella group of opposition parties again called on Bouteflika to quit but did not nominate a single candidate.

Friday saw the largest turnout to date in Algeria’s biggest anti-government demonstrations since the Arab Spring eight years ago. Bouteflika has not directly addressed the protests.

Like most of the country’s elite made up of FLN leaders, military officers and business tycoons, Bouteflika is a veteran of Algeria’s 1954-1962 independence war against France. He has been in power since 1999.

The authorities said last week he would travel to Geneva for unspecified “routine” medical checks.

Algerian media did not report on his trip but Swiss public television said late on Saturday that Bouteflika remained at Geneva University Hospital.

A total of 183 people were injured during Friday’s protests across Algeria and one person died of a heart attack, APS said. The capital Algiers was quiet on Saturday with shops open.

Large-scale demonstrations — rarely seen in Algeria with its ubiquitous security services — against Bouteflika’s re-election move began a week ago and have grown in size. Many Algerians avoided public political activity for years, fearing trouble from the security services or disillusioned with the war veterans who have run the country since independence.

After a decade-long Islamist insurgency that Bouteflika stamped out early in his rule, Algerians have often tolerated a political system with little space for dissent as a price to pay for peace and stability.</s>ALGIERS (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of protesters rallied anew in cities around Algeria on Sunday to demand President Abdelaziz Bouteflika step down just as he was due to declare his bid for a fifth term in April elections, witnesses and residents said.

Protest numbers were fast approaching the levels of Friday when demonstrators filled the centre of the capital Algiers alone, in one of the biggest outpourings of dissent - rare in Algeria - since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

Bouteflika, 82, in shaky health for years, was due to submit his official election papers at the Constitutional Council in Algiers on Sunday, the deadline for candidates.

He did not have to do so in person, the state news agency APS said. Bouteflika, rarely seen in public since he suffered a stroke in 2013, was at the weekend still in Switzerland for unspecified medical checks, according to Swiss media.

Opponents of Bouteflika say is no longer fit to lead, citing his poor health and what they call chronic corruption and a lack of economic reforms to tackle high unemployment that exceeds 25 percent among people under the age of 30.

Analysts say the protesters, who began hitting the streets 10 days ago, lack leadership and organisation in a country still dominated by veterans, like Bouteflika, of the 1954-62 independence war against France.

But traditionally weak and divided opposition and civic groups have called for protests to go on should Bouteflika, in power for 20 years, confirm his pursuit of re-election.

The government has played on fears among many Algerians of a return of bloodshed seen in the 1990s when an estimated 200,000 people were killed after Islamists took up arms when the military cancelled elections they were poised to win.

But the new series of protests have been generally peaceful, apart from Friday when scuffles with police left 183 injured.

Thousands of students gathered on Sunday at university faculties, one of them near the Constitutional Council where presidential candidates filed their papers, chanting: “No to a fifth term!” or “A free and democratic Algeria!”

There was heavy security around the Constitutional Council, and police prevented restive students from leaving the campus nearby, keeping the main gates shut.

But thousands were later marching through the centre like on Friday. A diplomatic source estimated as many as 70,000 people had massed in Algiers, including a rally at Bab Ezzouar university, the country’s biggest.

“We will not stop until we get rid of this system,” said Aicha, a 23-year-old student.

MORE PROTESTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

According to witnesses and local television footage, protesters also turned out in their thousands in other cities around the North African country, such as Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Batna, Blida, Skikda and Bouira.

The first candidate to submit his papers was Ali Ghediri, a retired general who is taking on the elite of military, ruling FLN party and business leaders. “I tell the people a new dawn has started,” he told reporters.

Another candidate, Rachid Nakkaz, a businessman and activist, arrived in a taxi, saying: “We should remain peaceful to give a good image of our democracy.”

By afternoon, seven candidates had registered. There was no sign of Bouteflika’s bid. The main Islamist party said in a statement it would boycott the vote if Bouteflika ran again.

Opposition groups failed to agree on one candidate, making any campaign a tough uphill challenge in a country dominated by one party - the FLN - since independence.

Bouteflika changed his campaign manager on Saturday, state media said. He has not addressed the protests against him - the largest since 2011 when popular revolts ousted long entrenched elites in a number of Arab countries.

Many Algerians eschewed public political activity for years, for fear of trouble from the pervasive security apparatus or out of disillusionment with the lack of change in the leadership.

After the decade-long Islamist insurgency that Bouteflika crushed early in his rule, Algerians generally tolerated a political system leaving little room for dissent as a price to pay for relative peace and stability.
Tens of thousands of Algerians take to streets to protest President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's bid to seek re-election in 2019 presidential election in what is Algeria's biggest anti-government protests since the 2011 protests. 183 people have been injured.