The latest speech by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, delivered before both chambers of Parliament this Sunday, December 29, confirmed what many feared: Algeria is in the hands of an authoritarian and incompetent regime obsessed with manipulation and denial of reality. By labeling writer Boualem Sansal as an “imposter sent by France,” Tebboune not only revealed his pathological intolerance for freedom of expression but also his inability to lead a country in crisis.
Boualem Sansal: One Political Prisoner Too Many
The arrest of Boualem Sansal, a renowned author and vocal critic of the Algerian government, in mid-November for “undermining state security” is a blatant and absurd act of censorship, exposing the regime’s paranoid fear of intellectuals.
By calling Sansal an “imposter” and insinuating that he neither knows his father nor his identity, Tebboune crossed the line into vulgarity and crudeness, launching a vile personal attack. These words reflect not only authoritarian drift but also profound political incompetence and a total lack of dignity.
A Diplomacy of Vulgarity
Rather than addressing the economic and social crises plaguing Algeria, Tebboune lashes out at France with baseless and caricatural accusations. Blaming the former colonial power has become the preferred excuse of this faltering regime. “Colonization left Algeria in ruins,” Tebboune claims, conveniently forgetting that his country has been independent for over six decades.
The truth is that today’s Algeria is a victim of its own ruling class. Tebboune and his “Generals” (mere ignorant Corporals promoted to Generals) prefer to fuel imaginary conflicts with France and Morocco rather than confront the collapse of their economy, the mass exodus of youth, and rampant corruption.
The Moroccan Sahara Issue: An Obsessive Delusion
The military regime’s obsession with the Moroccan Sahara perfectly illustrates this flight forward. While Morocco accumulates diplomatic victories, including growing international support for its autonomy plan, Algeria isolates itself absurdly.
Labeling Morocco’s proposal a “French Plan” is nothing more than a desperate maneuver to mask the failures of Algerian diplomacy. Supporting the Polisario mercenaries is a burden Algeria continues to bear at the expense of its own people.
Algeria, a Prisoner of a Disconnected Junta
This disastrous speech highlights the alarming state of a regime in decay. Tebboune, far from being the reformist leader he claims to be, is actually a puppet of a junta that fears change. Every critic is silenced, every dissenting voice suppressed.
Algeria is a volcano ready to erupt, and the people’s long-contained anger threatens to sweep away this dying regime. Recent history has shown that nations ultimately reclaim their destiny. Tebboune and his mafia-like “Generals” would do well to remember that.
Abderrazzak Boussaid / Le7tv