Algeria: protest greets Bouteflika's return

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika landed in Algiers on Sunday, local Ennahar TV said.

82-year old Bouteflika spent two weeks in a Swiss hospital while protesters massed at home in an unprecedented threats to his 20 year rule.

Thousands including students took to the streets of Algiers carrying flag and chanting: “Bouteflika, there will be no fifth term”.

“We are against the fifth term, we don’t want a fifth term. We are fed up. As high school pupils we went out today to claim our rights. We want the rights of education, we want to have aims, don’t be unfair to young people and women”, a protester said.

Many shops in the Algerian capital closed on Sunday and residents said train services were suspended.

“We are closed because we are on strike because we want this regime to change. We will close for five years because we don’t want this regime anymore”, shop owner Hamid said.

Calls for a civil disobedience which began on social media a few days ago led some companies, schools and shops to close.

Rumors about a potential successor has swirled for years, but no credible one has emerged who has the support of the army and elite and is not in their 70s or 80s.

Reuters