12/22/2019 Algeria (International Christian Concern) – As Algeria’s new president seeks to establish his own government, the Interior Minister was dismissed effective immediately this past Thursday. The minister was removed because of his derogatory comments regarding those who opposed the December 12^th election. The country has been embroiled in protests for months, and the demonstrators disapproved of the election because the candidates all had connections to the old regime.

The now ex-Interior Minister had overseen the rapid closure of churches throughout Algeria. It is unclear at this point how his dismissal will impact this policy against Christian places of worship. The closure of churches appeared temporarily halted just prior to the election, and have not yet begun again. It leaves the Christian community in a state of uncertainty. Will this policy of church closures resume once the government has reorganized itself?

The Christian community remains a small demographic within Algeria, but the church is rapidly growing. It is believed that the growth of Christianity within Algeria has caused the Islamic government to be concerned about the presence of churches, thus prompting their closures without just or legal cause.

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