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Vol 57 No 1

Published 8th January 2016


Algeria

Rumblings among the rivals

The country may be stable and there are hopes of reforming the creaking system but the weak oil price gives the elite little room for manoeuvre

With Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal and the presidency's favourite businessman, Ali Haddad, among those talking up an agenda for change, some diplomats and analysts see prospects for accelerated change in Algeria's sclerotic regime. That's why moves in recent months to consolidate President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's hold on power have surprised his many critics. The veteran military intelligence chief, Lieutenant General Mohamed 'Tewfik' Medienne of the Département du renseignement et de la sécurité (DRS), was finally retired and other senior officers were replaced. Some were pursued for abuse of their huge power within the military-security establishment known as 'le Pouvoir'.

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