Tightrope

The authoritarian trend of the Maghreb since the fading of the Arab Spring has left scarce room for criticism of the ruling elites in power. Unfortunately all countries are more or less affected by further restrictions on political debate.

The backsliding has been also manifest in Algeria, where the hopes of the Hirak movement that forced former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika out of office during an unprecedented wave of protests in 2019 have been met stifled. The release of journalist Ihsan el-Kadi following a presidential grace announced on the 70^th anniversary of the revolution against the French rule offered some hope.

On the other hand the Black Decade (the civil war between 1992 and 2002 that pitted Islamists against the military and was fiercer that the Guerre d’Algérie), is still a raw nerve among elites and public opinion alike: one novel, talking about it, was acclaimed in France and excluded from the Algiers International Book Fair, while another writer, also mentioning often the bloody conflict, was immediately arrested at the Houari Boumediene Airport in early November upon his arrival from Paris. The Algerian writer, with French nationality since 2024, is still in prison under article 87 bis of the penal code, sanctioning “terrorist or subversive acts”. Remarks by French President, Emmanuel Macron, on the case were harshly rebuffed by the Algerian Foreign Affairs ministry.

These incidents have two underlying reasons: one is the growing resentment against France following Macron’s decision to recognise Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara; the other are internal power competitions and balances.

The reshuffle ordered by President Abdelmajid Tebboune after winning the elections confirmed Nadir Larbaoui as Prime Minister, but also elevated the Chief of Staff of the Algerian army, Lt.-Gen. Saïd Chengriha, to the rank of Minister Delegate.

In Algerian politics the military has a significant say in national affairs since the independence. While Tebboune maintains his role as Minister of Defence, according to a long tradition, Chengriha is now in a top position. He is having an important seat at the table of cabinet meetings, in a role not dissimilar to his predecessor (and deputy Minister of Defence) Ahmed Gaïd Salah, the mastermind behind the ousting of the Bouteflika clan.

How well Chengriha and Tebboune will get along is likely to have profound ramifications beyond domestic politics. As Algeria approaches its last year at the UN Security Council, regional politics is destined to get tense, also considering external interferences. The visit of an Iranian delegation to both Algeria and Tunisia in November has made waves, building bridges that could be used as a leverage against Morocco, in reaction to its inclusion in the Abraham Accords and burgeoning relationship with Israel. The coming months will show how difficult will be this tightrope walk.