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December 13, 2019

Algeria: Thousands Protest Thursday's Presidential Election
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In Algeria, thousands of people have taken to the streets to denounce
Thursday's presidential election as a farce.

Protester: "The elections must fall. There are no elections. These
people are the elections. No to elections in these conditions. These
people are heroes."

Activists called for people to boycott Thursday's presidential election
to replace Algeria's longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was
forced from power by a mass uprising in April. There was record-low
participation in Thursday's election, and early results suggest no
candidate received the 50% of votes needed to win outright. Protesters
say all five candidates represent a continuation of Algeria's corrupt
ruling elite. Earlier this week, two previous Algerian prime ministers
were convicted and sentenced to prison over a corruption scandal that
also ensnared other top government officials and businessmen in Algeria.


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