In Algeria, mass demonstrations rocked the country Wednesday as protesters demanded the cancellation of today’s presidential election to replace Algeria’s longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was forced from power by a mass uprising in April.
Protester: “I won’t vote, because these elections themselves are a betrayal. Everyone who votes is committing a betrayal against our country, because the summit of stupidity is to try the same experience with the same people and tools and expect a different result.”
Extremely low turnout at the polls is expected today amid widespread calls to boycott the election, with demonstrators saying that all the candidates are part of Algeria’s long-ruling elite. On Tuesday, two previous prime ministers were convicted and sentenced to prison over a corruption scandal that also ensnared other top government officials and businessmen.