For understandable historical reasons, the protest movement in Algeria consists, amongst others, of a range of informally constituted ‘horizontally structured’ organisations, autonomous trade unions and NGOs, which includes prominent human rights based organisations. An umbrella body called the National Coordination for Change and Democracy (CNCD) has for some years been involved in attempts to draw in greater numbers and issues. The main trade union federation, the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) has at a leadership level maintained close relations with the ruling party. These organisations managed to initiate and maintain protests throughout Algeria, especially since February 22 this year. Some political observations made, suggests that the struggles being conducted is of a ’sectoral’ nature. In line with this the youth/students, women, workers, the unemployed, professionals and others tend to stage their own protests. Given the antagonisms towards political parties, generally speaking, protests are therefore not geared towards unifying them under a central leadership or organisational programme. It is a political irony, given the strong anti-imperialist sentiments ventilated during protests that sectarian, isolationist and inward looking perspectives prevail under conditions that are fluid and pregnant with political possibilities. As regards international solidarity the Palestinian struggle, which historically has been integral to the Algerian anti-colonial struggle, has consistently been highlighted during protests.

Two socialist parties of note are the PST (Socialist Workers Party of Algeria) and the Workers’ Party (PT), which has a more controversial history. The PT, in responding to the political pressures that have built up, staged a collective resignation from the parliament on 27 March. The PST has made the progressive call for the convening of a ‘sovereign Constituent Assembly’. What is the import of this call at this time of political ebbs and flows? Greater support for this call is undoubtedly in sync with the current situation which has been reached in the Algerian revolutionary process. With the old order unable to sustain itself without resorting to wide scale repression or large scale deception, an alternative future has to be built; socio-economic and political solutions the old order offers cannot but be unworkable. The lessons of the anti-colonial revolution, as well as those learnt in the struggle against neo-liberal capitalism are still resonating strongly in slogans and political perspectives amongst progressives in Algeria. These must be spread wide and far.