Bouteflika to Lift Emergency

Algeria has a very strong protest culture which may even have served as a point of reference for those who began the wave in neighboring Tunisia. Because of this, it is a strong candidate for revolution. Attempting to stave off that possibility, President Abd al-Aziz Bouteflika announced the country's state of emergency would be lifted:

"Algeria's 19-year state of emergency will be lifted in the "very near future", state media has quoted Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the president, as saying.

"During a meeting with ministers on Thursday, the president also said Algerian television and radio, which are controlled by the state, should give airtime to all political parties.

"He added that protest marches, banned under the state of emergency, would be permitted across the country of 35 million except in the capital...

"Opposition groups in Algeria had recently made the repeal of emergency powers one of their main demands, ahead of a protest planned for February 12.

"Last month several hundred pro-democracy protesters took to the streets in Algiers, the capital, demanding the government overturn a law banning public gatherings."

(Crossposted to American Footprints)