Algeria's Opposition Joins a Protest Wave

By BENOÎT FAUCON

ALGIERS—Algeria's main opposition party held its first rally in seven years here Friday, as thousands of members shouted antigovernment slogans and demanded deeper political reforms.

Benoit Faucon/The Wall Street Journal

Police surround opposition protesters attempting to join a protest in Algiers Saturday. Political marches remain banned in the Algerian capital despite the government ending a state of emergency last week. The oil-rich country, like much of North Africa, has faced unrest in recent months over political reforms, jobs and food prices.

But in the face of a tough government stance toward political demonstrations in the capital, Algiers, analysts say the greater threat to the Algerian government comes from spreading social protests that are mostly disconnected from the main opposition parties.

Oil workers have staged sit-ins demanding higher wages, students have held rallies seeking better opportunities, and other groups have protested over joblessness and poor housing.

The government has shown its concern about the spreading social protests by pressing ahead with pay rises for government workers and introducing measures to improve housing and job opportunities.

So far that strategy has been successful in keeping a lid on protests—which have largely been peaceful—offering concessions but suppressing political marches in Algiers.

This has allowed Algeria's longstanding president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, to avoid the sort of political turmoil and mass demonstrations that led to the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in Tunisia.

Benoit Faucon/The Wall Street Journal

Opposition protesters at a gathering in Algiers Saturday, calling for deeping political reforms.

At the Socialist Forces Front rally in Algiers on Friday, thousands of party stalwarts shouted antigovernment slogans in the party's first mass gathering since 2004, which went ahead after the authorities eased conditions for holding political gatherings in public places. The rally took place in a cinema. Samir Meftah, the venue's manager, estimated 3,000 people attended.

Though it now allows rallies in public places such as cinemas, the government has maintained a ban on political marches in the capital. Recent attempts to organize marches in Algiers have been met by a heavy police presence.

Another opposition grouping, the National Coordination for Change and Democracy, has seen a steady decline in the numbers attending its rallies, pressured by the ban on marches and by an internal party split over the effectiveness of such rallies.

Another demonstration is set for Saturday.

The government was shaken after a rise in food prices in January led to riots throughout the country, leaving at least five people dead. It responded with a cut in duties, helping to lower food prices.

Since then, it has responded to a key opposition demand by lifting the 19-year state of emergency, which allowed detention without trial for suspected terrorists.

Analysts say Algerians may be dissuaded from violent protest by the memory of the brutal civil war in the 1990s after the Islamist party's victory in the 1991 elections was annulled. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people died in the resulting conflict.

Algeria's Interior Minister Dahou Ould Kablia expressed confidence the various marches and sit-ins taking place across the country wouldn't be hijacked by established opposition parties.

"Those who have political preoccupations want to ally themselves with...fragile or vulnerable populations they can win over. But they are not being successful," he said in an interview.

Yet, a protest Thursday showed how social grievances can rapidly escalate into political demands outside the control of opposition parties.

Hundreds of students were joining a sit-in Thursday morning by students in front of Algiers' ministry of higher education protesting against a recent change they say would result in their future diplomas losing value on the job market.

But the shouting soon grew political. "Bouteflika out," they cried.

Write to Benoit Faucon at benoit.faucon@dowjones.com

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