M. Vidiassova, V. Orlov

Algeria at Three Roads

The book provides a brief overview of the history of the Ancient and Medieval Algeria, its conquest by the Osman empire and then France. Different stages of the existence of the country as an independent state are described in detail. However, the main focus of the book is the historical legacy of the 1954–1962 war between Algerian rebels guided by the Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) and the French army and its link with the civil war in Algeria of 1992–1999. Both calamities were extremely cruel. Torture in the Algerian War (1954–1962) was a common practice by the French and by the Algerians as well.

Having obtained independence, Algeria proclaimed the “socialist choice” and established friendly relations with the USSR. For the latter Algeria (ANDR) served as one of the outposts of its influence in the socalled Third World. During the Algerian civil war, Russia was indifferent because of its inner political and economic turmoil. Nowadays it wants to reestablish good relations with ANDR, but president Bouteflika was trying to have many allies. Above all, he is seriously ill, and the army is the main force of the state. It obviously manipulates the physically invalid (and probably unintellectual) president who was due to abolish presidential elections of April 18, but prolonged his current mandate from 5 yars to 6. The ruling party FLN with its ally National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement nationale democratique, RND) have won the legislative elections, but the participation of the electorate was very low. It was a sign of seemingly political immobility of society. Though the extreme Islamist groups are only dreaming, they surely are present even within the official establishment. So, a new cataclysm in Algeria is highly likely to take place after massive protest movеment of February – March 2019 under slogan: No fifth term [of Bouteflka presidency]. FiMlly FLN and RND backed military that urged Bouteflika immediate step away.

The book is intended for the students who specialize in Political Science, History and especially Oriental Studies as well as everyone who is interested in the events of North Africa.