14025. ALGERIA AND THE PROSPECTS FOR DEMOCRACY. This paper covers the nation’s politics after Independence (1962) and then discusses how the failed elections of 1991 led to a violent civil war between Islamic fundamentalists and the military-based government. The prospects for democracy appear bleak at this time, but there are also signs of hope for the future. Topics covered include the need for compromise and a change in the military’s perceived role, as well as the need to address the nation’s economic problems and to develop agreed-on rules for fair elections. 24 pages, 81 footnotes, 15 bibliographic references.