Algeria President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Resigns, Delays Elections And Will Not Se - Foreign Affairs

Algeria President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Resigns, Delays Elections And Will Not Se - Foreign Affairs - Nairaland

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Algeria President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Resigns, Delays Elections And Will Not Se by argon500(op): 8:06pm On Mar 11, 2019

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has said he will not seek a fifth term and announced the delay of the country's presidential polls amid mass protests against his reelection bid.

In a message carried by the official APS news agency on Monday, the 82-year-old also said the elections would follow a national conference on political and constitutional reform to be carried out by the end of 2019.

"There will be no presidential election on April 18," he said in reference to the scheduled date of the vote, adding that he was responding to a "pressing demand that you have been numerous to make."

The ailing leader, who has been confined to a wheelchair since suffering a stroke in 2013, said a government reshuffle would also take place soon.

According to APS, Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia resigned on Monday and was replaced by Interior Minister Noureddine Bedoui. Ramtane Lamamra was named deputy prime minister - a position that did not existe before.

The dramatic developments followed weeks of mass demonstrations against Bouteflika's plan to extend his 20-year rule.

Amel Boubekeur, a research fellow at the Paris-based School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, said Monday's announcement was only the beginning.

"All eyes are on the army now. Is the army going to let new protests to happen next Friday?" Boubekeur told Al Jazeera.

"With Bouteflika aside, the army is going to have its say as to what kind of position they will accept.

"Now it seems the regime of Bouteflika is done, but [the question is] are we going to get back the state civilly without ... any pressure on all these people who have been using the state for their interest for so long?"

source : https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/algeria-bouteflika-delays-elections-seek-term-190311174206302.html

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