Dozens of demonstrators in Algeria stormed the headquarters of the National Liberation Front party (formerly in power) on Thursday to demand the dismissal of its secretary-general, Abou El-Fadl Baadji.
According to the correspondent of the Anadolu Agency, dozens of demonstrators held up banners with the word “Go” in front of the party’s headquarters, calling for the dismissal of its secretary-general.
Protesters stormed the party headquarters, without any objection from supporters of the secretary-general who were present, and announced in a statement Baadji’s withdrawal of confidence.
Hussein Seddiqi, one of the party leaders and one of the demonstrators, told Anadolu Agency: “We have been asking for weeks for the meeting of the Central Committee (the highest body of the party) to elect a new general secretary, but Baadji rejects this legal measure”
While another party leader, a supporter of the secretary-general, called what happened an “act of intimidation,” in an interview with Anadolu Agency.
Another leader, who requested anonymity, said: “I never imagined that these actions would come from the party leaders the leadership cannot be isolated in this way.”
This escalation came after weeks of clashes between Baadji and his opponents over the legitimacy of his party leadership after the secretary-general repeatedly refused to hold a meeting to elect a successor.
Baadji said on Tuesday at a press conference at the party’s headquarters that the opposition is led by people affiliated with the old regime, after the period of privileges they enjoyed had ended.
The party won the legislative elections on June 12, with 98 seats out of 407.
The National Liberation Front was the ruling party at the time of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1999-2019), who was forced to resign by popular protests against his regime on April 2, 2019.
