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WORLD NEWS Saturday 6 april 2019

Victorious Algerians protest en masse to urge new departures

By AOMAR OUALI Tayeb Belaiz, and upper
Associated Press house of parliament presi-
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — dent Abdelkader Bensalah.
Masses of Algerians whose With the president gone,
pro-democracy move- Bensalah — a Bouteflika
ment forced out longtime ally — is expected to take
President Abdelaziz Boute- over as interim leader while
flika sang and celebrated Algeria organizes elections.
their victory Friday — and It’s unclear what would
demanded that other top happen if “the three Bs”
figures leave too. were really to leave. The
Huge crowds surged movement hasn’t co-
through Algiers boulevards alesced around a single
and marched toward the alternative candidate or
central post office, key sym- plan to govern Algeria.
bol of a peaceful move- Some of Friday’s protesters
ment that has upended this suggested appointing a
energy-rich North African government of technocrats
country in just weeks. — not including any of the
The crowd appeared the current political leadership
largest yet over seven — while new elections are
straight Fridays of protests organized.
against a power structure Demonstrators hold the Algerian flag during a rally in Algiers, Friday April 5, 2019. Thousands of Under Friday’s spring sun,
seen as corrupt and repres- Algerians are chanting, singing and cheering after their movement forced out longtime President protesters dangled ban-
sive, according to an Asso- Abdelaziz Bouteflika - and demanding that other top figures leave too. ners from balconies and
ciated Press reporter who Associated Press roofs. Police stood nearby,
has covered each one. “Game Over” read some his parents and hasn’t mar- The protesters now want watching but not interven-
Despite being crammed signs. “The people want ried because he’s never the departure of the men ing.
shoulder to shoulder at them all to leave!” protest- found a solid job — and who head Algeria’s three Parents carried babies in
some points in the hours- ers chanted. one reason he’s protesting branches of power: the slings and schoolchildren
long demonstration, pro- But the crowds kept com- is the limited economic op- prime minister, the upper on shoulders. Protesters
testers remained good-spir- ing, including people from portunity for those outside house of parliament’s chief cleared the way in tightly
ited, with palpable joy at around Africa’s biggest the political elite. and the president of the packed streets for people
Bouteflika’s resignation. country. However, he said he’s constitutional court. in wheelchairs. Algerian
It is their first protest since “It’s a little victory, but oth- mainly protesting to show Some brandished signs flags were used as capes,
Bouteflika resigned this ers should leave too,” said his frustration at a “corrupt, calling for the exit of “the bandanas and belts — the
week under pressure from Salim Mehdi, a 40-year-old rotten system” where the three Bs” — Prime Minister unifying symbol of a move-
protesters and the powerful protester from the town of same faces have been in Noureddine Bedoui, Con- ment with no single political
army. Bouira. Mehdi still lives with charge for too long. stitutional Council President view.q

Hungarian PM Orban launches campaign with anti-migrant plan

By PABLO GORONDI its will. Orban also urged ship of Orban’s Fidesz party
Associated Press the EU to stop funding civic in the largest bloc in the
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — groups that support asy- European Parliament, the
Hungary’s prime minister on lum-seekers and said “no center-right European Peo-
Friday launched his party’s one in Europe should suf- ple’s Party, was suspended
campaign for the Euro- fer discrimination” because while Orban’s policies are
pean Parliamentary elec- they are Christians. scrutinized by an EPP del-
tions in May by presenting “At stake is whether the EU egation.
a seven-point plan against will have pro-immigration Some members of the al-
immigration. or anti-immigration lead- liance believe Orban has
Prime Minister Viktor Orban ers,” Orban told a gather- strayed too far from its
called for migration to be ing of Fidesz members and Christian Democratic val-
controlled by national gov- supporters. ues.
ernments, not European “We will decide whether In Orban’s assessment, the
Union bureaucrats and to defend our Christian Eu- People’s Party is “turning
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses a meeting of repeated his view that no ropean culture or yield the left, in a liberal direction
the governing Fidesz party, in Budapest, Hungary, Friday, April country should be forced to terrain to multiculturalism.” and ... toward a Europe of
5, 2019.
Associated Press accept immigrants against Last month, the member- immigrants.” q