Algeria’s political opposition is rooted in the nationalist movement against French colonialism. Opposition has continued throughout post-independence in response to the regime’s evolution. The six approved opposition candidates—representing diverse ideological trends in Algerian society—all withdrew before the election of the current president, Bouteflika, in 1999, charging that the election was a fraud and that the army had chosen the sole remaining candidate as a figurehead. This paper proposes that opposition’s ongoing activism during political transitions and evolving priorities has been an instrumental force in Algeria’s struggle for a system of government based on rule of law, respect for human rights and citizens' freedoms. It also explores ways in which the Algerian regime has coopted the Algerian opposition, fragmented it, and how some opposition leaders, especially those in the “presidential alliance,” have maintained a democratic façade while effectively promoting the regime’s agendas. The paper examines the evolving roles of Algerian opposition through four periods of activism: - (1989 -1999) Democratic opening, the war on civilians, antiterrorism, the struggle for human rights, and reconciliation; - (1999 - 2014) Postwar reconciliation, lifting of the 19-year state of emergency (after the Arab uprisings), opposition to the fourth presidential mandate after Bouteflika’s 2013 illness - (2014 -2018) The economic crisis, popular protests, and legislative elections; - (2019 and beyond) Opposition to Bouteflika’s candidacy for a 5th mandate, post-presidential elections, and the future of opposition in Algeria. Within these periods, I address the following questions: - How have political parties evolved and changed? - What alliances have Algerian opposition leaders forged with the regime and/or with its elected government constituencies? - How has the opposition used the media in Algeria and abroad? - What is the role of the Algerian army in the 2019 elections? - What election strategies will the opposition adopt to impact the current political climate? Will there be popular support? - How does Bouteflika’s illness-related absence from governance affect his 2019 candidacy? - How will the election results change Algeria’s political and social climate? The author utilizes extensive fieldwork in Algeria, primary sources, oral histories, diverse historical documents and audio-visual resources, and uses secondary sources in Arabic, French and English.