Thousands call for Algeria's president to step down
Tens of thousands of people in cities across Algeria called on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to leave office on Friday in the biggest anti-government demonstrations there since the Arab Spring eight years ago, The Associated Press reported.
The protests were mostly peaceful but as crowds receded by late afternoon, scuffles broke out in the capital Algiers between police and protesters near the presidential palace, witnesses said.
Large scale demonstrations — rarely seen in Algeria — against plans for Bouteflika to seek a fifth term in power in April elections began a week ago but Friday saw the biggest turnout yet.
The 81-year-old suffered a stroke in 2013 and has been seen in public only a few times since. His re-election bid stoked resentment among Algerians who believe he is not fit to lead.