ABSTRACT
The October 1988 riots were to change the political face of Algeria. The Algerian government seemed prepared to organize a 'clean and fair' parliamentary election. In parallel with democratization, Algeria accelerated its economic liberalization programme. Despite recurrent ups and downs in the Franco-Algerian relationship, the French authorities had supported the Chadli Benjedid's regime. Chadli argued that the Front de Liberation Nationale had to 'definitively liberate itself from the temptation of hegemonic and direct exercise of responsibilities within the state apparatus, elected assemblies, the economy, and within the social and professional organisations'. Under the authority of the presidency, Mouloud Hamrouche had supervised a study workshop whose mission was to find solutions to the Algerian economic crisis. The French reaction to the result of the Algerian local elections - largely inspired by what was being said in Algiers - could not, therefore, be at the root of Hamrouche's harsh words.
