Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s resignation on April 2 came as a surprise to no one. A mass protest movement, unparalleled within much of the country’s history, has maintained relentless pressure on the ailing 82-year-old president, driving fissures between him, much of the country’s historically closeted political establishment and the bulwark of Algeria’s political power base: the army.
News of Bouteflika’s departure was greeted with celebrations throughout the country. Following a rare appearance on state television where a clearly weakened Bouteflika relinquished power, crowds filled the streets of the capital, with individuals brandishing the Algerian flag and passing cars sounding their horns.