Migliaia di persone, malgrado un esplicito divieto in vigore dal 2001, sono scese in piazza venerdì ad Algeri (e in altre città del paese) per protestare contro il presidente Abdelaziz Bouteflika, che ha recentemente confermato l'intenzione di ricandidarsi alle elezioni di metà aprile. "No a un quinto mandato", "Il popolo vuole un cambiamento" e "Né Bouteflika né Said (suo fratello, visto come possibile successore, ndr)" erano alcuni degli slogan scanditi dai manifestanti.
Le forze di sicurezza già di prima mattina avevano presidiato una piazza centrale della capitale, ma alcune centinaia di dimostranti sono comunque riusciti ad avviarsi verso il palazzo presidenziale, dove ci sono stati scontri. La polizia ha usato gas lacrimogeni, idranti e manganelli per sciogliere il corteo, procedendo anche a qualche arresto.
Sceso in campo nel 1999 su richiesta dei militari, Bouteflika ha ormai 81 anni e grossi problemi di salute. Dal 2013 è inchiodato a una sedia a rotelle ed appare raramente in pubblico. Cionostante, la sua rielezione è probabile, viste oltre tutto le difficoltà dei diversi gruppi di opposizione, che non riescono ad accordarsi per opporgli un candidato comune. Domenica Bouteflika sarà in Svizzera, a Ginevra, per sottoporsi a una visita medica.
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