News

Algeria and Tunisia were the scene of repeated rioting last week
between the police and demonstrators protesting against unemployment and
increased food prices. Five people were killed in Algeria, while the
Tunesian government reported 14 deaths.

The daily Les Echos explains the discontent among the countries’ youths:

“One might be tempted to argue that … an oil-rich country with 35
million inhabitants can’t be compared with a country of 10 milion with
few natural resources. Nevertheless numerous factors bind the two, first
and foremost concerning the population structure, but also on the
political level. No doubt there is somewhat more freedom of the press in
Algeria, but under the pretext of fighting Islamism neither regime is
willing to allow any challenge to its authority, be it from the
economic, political or intellectual sphere. But the Algerian and
Tunesian youths, now well acquainted with what’s going on in the world
thanks to the Internet, are no longer willing to put up with the ruling
oligarchy.”

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