Geopolitics and the Convergence of Non-Democratization Interests in Algeria
Sarah Anne Rennick, Nadia Jmal & Zine Labidine Ghebouli.
This Working Paper examines the challenges to democratisation in Algeria, focusing on the interaction between domestic political dynamics and international geopolitical competition. Tracing Algeria’s democratic trajectory from the 1988 uprising, the short-lived multiparty experiment, the civil war following the 1992 coup, and the 2019 popular uprising, the paper analyses how the entrenched network of military, political, and economic elites has maintained authoritarian control. It explores the influence of external actors, particularly the European Union, China, and Russia, and how their strategies and interventions interact with domestic demand for democracy to produce democratic openings or reinforce authoritarian resilience. The study highlights the behavioral, institutional, and structural blockages that continue to impede systemic political change in Algeria, providing insights into the complex interplay between domestic pressures and international influences on democratisation.
EMBRACE Working Paper 04 - English
EMBRACE Working Paper 04 - Arabic