WHAT SCENARIOS AFTER THE RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT BOUTEFLIKA ?

"I have the honor to formally notify you of my decision to terminate the mandate I perform as President of the Republic, from today, Tuesday, Radjab 1440, corresponding to 2 April 2019," he wrote in a statement. letter he sent to the Constitutional Council, published by the Algerian official APS news agency.

This decision that I take in my soul and conscience is intended to contribute to the appeasement of the hearts and minds of my compatriots, to enable them to project together Algeria towards the better future to which they legitimately aspire. "

While he had already given up, under the pressure of the street in March, to seek a fifth term and announced the postponement sine die of the presidential election, these announcements were not enough to calm the dispute.

During this period the "Bouteflika" clan, however, was trying to save the day.

The Bouteflika clan had indeed accepted Monday, April 1 to cede power, promising a departure from the head of state before the 28th of the month, end date of his term.

But Saïd, the brother, tried to buy time, a process widely used by the Algerian government, proposing to the former President of the Republic Liamine Zéroual to ensure the transition in case of resignation.

An approach little appreciated by the chief of staff of the army so that General Gaïd Salah denounced Tuesday, April 2 "stubbornness and the deviousness of certain individuals at the head of the country".

These individuals are "concerned only with the preservation of their narrow personal interests," he added, in what appears to be an attack on President Bouteflika's close entourage.

With the resignation of the Algerian president, opens a period of 90 days during which a presidential election must be organized.

The president of the Council of Nations, Abdelkader Ben Salah, a close friend of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, will take the interim. The current and new Prime Minister, Noureddine Bedoui, is a former Minister of the Interior. The two will be able to get along with General Gaïd Salah. Indeed, the military, who put pressure on Bouteflika to resign, remains the only undisputed institution in Algeria. It acts as guarantor to keep a calm atmosphere during this transition period,

But the resignation of Bouteflika does not mean the end of the Algerian revolt.

If the announcement Monday night is experienced as a "good news", it is not enough for the Algerian youth on the street for a month. They call at the end of the "system", and not just the resignation of Bouteflika.

For the moment, opposition candidates are not scrambling to formalize their candidacy. Rachid Nekkaz, the anti-Bouteflika candidate, has been more discreet in recent days.

The opponent to Bouteflika Ali Benfis who had given up the election originally scheduled for April 28, could return to the game. The lawyer and human rights activist Mustapha Bouchachi has for his part advantage of being rather supported by the street.

However, it is now necessary to take into account a new arbitrator: the Algerian citizens did not say either their last word.