Popular Movement and Democratic Transition in Algeria: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

Since its inception on February 22nd, 2019, the popular movement in Algeria has formed a new horizon for democratic change, by peacefully demanding a radical change of regime and the establishment of a new system in which only the people are the source of all power.

Despite the peaceful nature of the movement and its national character, it transcended all tribal, regional and ethnic affiliations and united on the need to move towards a democratic system of government.However, this has faced a set of challenges, perhaps the most important: the difficulty of controlling the relationship between civil and military in Algeria. It is difficult to confine the military's tasks to implementing the nation's defence policy. The military has become synonymous with the political system, and any successful democratic transformation must be negotiated.

Keywords: popular movement, democratization, military establishment

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/58-11

Publication date:November 30^th 2019