Independence
Resentment toward the French began building into an independence movement in the period between World Wars I and II. The French government tried to improve the political status of the Muslims, but faced bitter opposition by the colonists. In 1945 a violent uprising of Muslims was put down with great severity.
In 1947 France gave the Muslims citizenship, but adjusted the voting laws so that the colonists would retain political control. Soon after, the Muslims formed a revolutionary organization, the National Liberation Front (FLN). In 1954 the FLN began a rebellion, which France, with an unstable government, was unable to put down. In 1958 France's Fourth Republic fell, and Charles de Gaulle, leader of the new French government, entered into negotiations with the FLN. While negotiations were being carried on, colonists, strongly opposed to Algeria's independence, fought the Muslims. As fighting intensified in early 1962, growing numbers of Europeans left Algeria for France. By the time Algeria gained its independence in mid-1962, half of the French population had left.
The departure of French colonists, many skilled in government and technology, left the economy near collapse. With French governmental assistance, the nation slowly recovered. The two countries cooperated in developing oil and gas resources.
Ahmed Ben Bella of the FLN was elected president in 1963. In 1965 he was deposed and control of the country was taken over by Houari Boumedienne, who pursued a policy of socialism. He died in 1978 and was succeeded by Colonel Benjedid Chadli. In the 1980's, Chadli encouraged the development of private enterprise.
In the early 1990's Islamic fundamentalists became a major political force. In 1991, they won 46 per cent of the seats in the national assembly; a second round of voting was scheduled in districts where no candidate received a majority. In January, 1992, Chadli resigned; he was succeeded by Mohammed Boudiaf. The army canceled the second-round elections to prevent a fundamentalist takeover. In June, 1992, Boudiaf was assassinated. A five-member High State Council was formed to temporarily replace the presidency; in 1994 it appointed a new president, Lamine Zeroual.
In 1995 Zeroual was elected president. Revisions to the constitution, which were passed in 1996, included such changes as banning political parties based on religion and creating a two-chamber legislature. In 1997, multiparty elections for the new legislature were held; these were the first such elections since 1991.
In the years following the cancelled elections of 1992, fundamentalists carried out a terrorist campaign of murder, targeting government employees, intellectuals, Westernized citizens, and foreigners. The government retaliated with counterinsurgency measures. By 1997, more than 60,000 people had been killed in the conflict.
Independent candidate Abdelaziz Bouteflika was elected president in 1999 . He was reelected in 2004 and 2009. Berber protestors seeking increased political and cultural recognition clashed with security forces in northern Algeria in 2001. In 2002, the Berber language, Tamazight, became a national language of Algeria in response to the protests.
