Algeria’s army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah said the military will ensure the country does not descend into violence as mass protests continue, according to state TV.
The protests, which resulted in President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s removal from office on April 2, have not abated despite a number of measures taken by the ruling party.
On Tuesday, the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) elected businessman Mohamed Djemai as its new leader replacing Moad Bouchareb.
50-year-old Djemai is seen as a relatively youthful figure at the top of the FLN. Most of the party’s senior officials are in their 70s.
Additionally, at least five tycoons, some close to Bouteflika, have been detained and accused of involvement in corruption scandals.
Protesters are demanding the entire ruling elite be done away with completely. They also want a switch towards democracy and action against systemic corruption and cronyism.
The country’s ruling party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), endorsed Salah’s approach and called on protesters and opposition parties to pursue dialogue to end the crisis.
The army is still the most powerful institution in Algeria having influenced politics from behind the scenes for several years.
It has so far restrained itself while monitoring the largely peaceful protests that at times have seen numbers reach hundreds of thousands of people.
