Rabat – The political implosion of Algeria after the death of ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika could cause the country of 40 million to fall into a civil war similar in nature to the ones ongoing in Libya and Syria, according to Pierre Defraigne, the Honorary Director General of the European Commission.
“Europe must learn from the tragedy of Aleppo,” the leader told La Libre Belgique. “And it must do so quickly because a new crisis threatens its immediate vicinity: Algeria, 40 million inhabitants, awaits indeed the clinical death of President Bouteflika, the latter being in fact unable to reign many years.”
Boutefilka has appeared in public once every few months since his stroke in 2013. Since the incident, his sons and political allies have been running Algiers in the president’s name.
The country has no clear path forward after Bouteflika – aged 79 – passes. The president removed term limits from the constitution, which has allowed him to cling to power for four terms.
Two years of low oil prices have forced the government to consider austerity measures, which are unpopular with citizens, who are accustomed to large food and gas subsidies.
“The succession of Bouteflika will activate the fundamental conflict which has deafened in Algeria for thirty years, between the Islamists, supported by Saudi Arabia, and the soldiers, who confiscated the revolution and govern by cumulating corruption, imperialism and repression”, Defraigne said. “The risk of implosion and civil war is, alas, very serious,” he said.
The honorary EU official added that Algeria’s fall would likely bring millions of immigrants to French-speaking countries in Europe, due to geographic proximity and a shared language as a result of over a century of French occupation.
