Thread by @weddady

Algeria: the protest wave against Bouteflika ("The Mummy") running for a 5th term is persisting.. at least online. The malaise with the ruling elite is palpable #لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

https://twitter.com/TabainetMouadh/status/1100376588670156800

Algeria: "we slapped them twice in less than a week, proved we're a civilized & aware ppl. Yet they persist in antagonizing the ppl & their hypocrisy.."
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_الطلبة

https://twitter.com/mouhamed_213/status/1100447147223339008

Algeria protest sign: "Had I wanted to be **** by the government, I'd have elected Brad Pitt, not Bouteflika"
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

Algeria Protest Sign - Mostaghanem: "Your available [life] balance is not enough [to finish] this term"
A reference to Bouteflika's age and bad health
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

https://twitter.com/Inal_Boukhalfa/status/1100387307788664832

Algeria - City of Stif : Student protests against a fifth term for Bouteflika #لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

Algeria - City of Oran: Student protests against a fifth term for Bouteflika #لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

Algeria - City of Tlemcen: Student protests against a fifth term for Bouteflika #لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

Algeria: State radio admits "thousands of students protested peacefully" referring to #لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_الطلبة demos today

radioalgerie.dz/news/fr/articl…

Algeria - Algiers: Law School students in the University of Algiers' protests against a fifth term for Bouteflika
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

https://twitter.com/Ouardaiqbal/status/1100364924608565249

Algeria protests: Bouteflika is expected to formally file the paper to run for a fifth term next March 3. What will happen? We shall see.

#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_الطلبة

Algeria protests: Bouteflika is the only one the ruling Military/Civilian elite can agree on. The elites forgot to factor the people in their calculus. That may be about to change.
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_الطلبة

Bouteflika was chosen to transition the country out of its civil war in the 90's. But the system of patronage & competing power networks failed to produce a successor to him. So the country is stuck coz the elites mistrust each other.
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_الطلبة

Algeria: the military is traditionally thought of as ruling Algeria. That's not accurate. The military has immense powers but NOT all the powers. They went through a "de-politicization" cure under Bouteflika, and are almost freed of the old guard.

Algeria: meet the second last dinosaur after Bouteflika, and the nominal top dog in the Army - Deputy Defence Minister General Ahmed Gaid Saleh. He's 79 and a fixture ally of Bouteflika.

Algeria: beware of pundits, on TV or in newspapers, telling you that they know what the Algerian army is thinking. They don't. It's a VERY opaque institution that many academics & researchers spent a lifetime trying to understand.

Algeria: this is important because power in Algeria's rentier model is the sum of the Civilian-Military & derivitative business patronage networks buying loyalties for individuals and giving protection to their members.

Algeria: this is why the system is opaque, not as a glitch, but by design. It's a survival need for those networks because their dealings often involve illicit enrichment, graft and massive squandering of public wealth. Remember all of this is fueled by oil & gas reserves.

Algeria: How patronage networks work: powerful Colonel/General places his civilian & military allies (almost never family members), they & their children get commercial & business privileges that pay for favors in their own regional towns. The chain goes to the State's top

Algeria: now, take that 1 networks and multiply it by 10 to 15 times and you get the true power base and Algeria's true rulers. Notice that I didn't once refer to political parties or parliament. Those are façades and themselves LEGAL patronage networks.

Algeria: so how does this differ from the Syrian, Iraqi (Saddam) or Egyptian models? The Algerian model's networks are diffused whereas in the other models there's only ONE chain of patronage, thus ALL power is concentrated in ONE place and decisions are made by 1 man.

Algeria: so unlike Egypt, Syria or other Arab states, in Algeria, almost ALL major decisions are taken collectively, there's arbitrage and mediation. Bouteflika has been the arbiter for the last decade. This is why they're sticking to him - to keep privileges & power.

Algeria: so the conventional wisdom in ruling circles goes 'for the sake of stability, why should I risk my patronage & power should some new guy come & decide to change the system. Keep the status quo'. Of course the problem is: the system's benefits for citizens is dropping.

Algeria: the newer generation of Algerians who don't remember the civil war, don't understand why THEY have to endure government austerity measures, unemployment, low income when the system's privileged are gobbling everything in the name of "stability"

Algeria: now the paradox of Algeria, where elites are clinging to power via a half-dead man, is that it's the ONE place that passing power to a family relative will NEVER work. Bouteflika's brother Said, the imminence grise, can never rule or even run to rule Algeria.

Algeria: the birth of modern Algeria after independence generated a sort of ingrained republicanism where Algerians pride themselves that they're not ruled by monarchies or dynasties. It's like proposing monarchy in America, or Republicanism in the Gulf - a national non-starter.

Algeria: Final thought - remember, it's called: The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. Therein lies the paradox, not very democratic, and the sovereign people tonight is making it know they're not ruling. #RexPublica
End of Thread

Algeria: satirical video about Bouteflika circulating to mobilize for protests tomorrow. Don't need to speak Arabic to know what's the message.

Algeria - 'The People Isn't Happy': this MP's biting rebuttal to the government is true of EVERY Arab state.
"When you high official get sick, you go abroad for healthcare but ordinary citizens can't.." #لا_للعهدة_الخامسة

https://twitter.com/ajplusarabi/status/1100368632809439232

Mobilization is underway in Algeria to protest on Friday the the candidacy to a 5th term of President Bouteflika. Hashtags to watch
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة
#حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: "Tell us who writes the President [Bouteflika's] letters and we'll tell you who's calling us to demonstrate. An eye for an eye"

#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

https://twitter.com/lkaouii/status/1100722733560881152

Algeria: apparently the Algerian internet is buzzing about an anonymous leaked tape of a conversation between two of Bouteflika's pillars; Boutef's campaign manager ex PM Abdelmalik Sellal & Tycoon Ali Haddad.
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: according to several Algerian journalists & activists they all got the taped conversation from an anonymous address that was created just for sending the leak. then the address/profile used to send it was deleted.

#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: The leaked conversation between ex PM Sellal & Tycoon Ali Haddad, both fierce Bouteflika loyalists was clearly recorded on Monday. They're discussing the protest movement, and analyzing it #لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: both Bouteflika loyalists are heard saying that the government was caught by surprise by the protests, no ministers were in their offices when they started.. etc.
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: both Sellal & Tycoon Ali Haddad are analyzing media coverage, and recognize their camp has a PR problem & is bad at image management
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: Tycoon Ali Haddad, worth $400 Million according to Forbes, and who entirely made his fortune under Bouteflika is heard assuring Sellal that Tizi Ouzou is loyal -- his area of influence
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: the leaked recording of Bouteflika's campaign manager Sellal & Tycoon Ali Haddad is raising questions about whether part of the military & intel are signaling their displeasure with Bouteflika's candidacy & are trying to undermine it

#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: this recording is a blow not only to Sellal and Haddad, but really is a means to raise the heat on the real puppet master of the Bouteflika camp, the President's borther, Said Bouteflika, thought to be the true regent in Algeria by some
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria - Sellal & Haddad leak: read the tweets above ☝🏼☝🏼☝🏼 to understand the context of this video. It's a reminder of how diffuse power is in Algeria, and the behind the scenes internal power struggles.



#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس

Algeria: the recording is over 11 minutes, I skipped the sensationalist parts what's remarkable about the leak isn't necessarily what's said in it, but RATHER that Bouteflika's camp was WIRETAPPED & THEN leaked. Question is who did it?
#لا_للعهدة_الخامسة #حراك_1_مارس