Long reigning President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria has resigned from office, the state news agency said on Tuesday.
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| Bouteflika, right with Algeria’s army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah |
The ailing Bouteflika submitted his resignation with immediate
effect, state television said Tuesday, ceding power in the face of
massive street protests after two decades at the helm.
effect, state television said Tuesday, ceding power in the face of
massive street protests after two decades at the helm.
Bouteflika “officially advised the Constitutional Council of the end
of his term of office as President of the Republic” from Tuesday, said a
news ticker on the public broadcaster.
of his term of office as President of the Republic” from Tuesday, said a
news ticker on the public broadcaster.
The sudden resignation came in the wake of the demand by the
country’s powerful army chief of staff that Bouteflika be declared unfit
and leave office “immediately”.
country’s powerful army chief of staff that Bouteflika be declared unfit
and leave office “immediately”.
“We believe there is no more time to waste” on starting a
constitutional process to declare Bouteflika unfit for office, said a
statement released by Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah.
constitutional process to declare Bouteflika unfit for office, said a
statement released by Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah.
“Our decision is clear and irrevocable. We will support the people
until their demands are fully and completely satisfied,” the statement
added.
until their demands are fully and completely satisfied,” the statement
added.
Bouteflika had promised to resign before 28 April when his term
expires. But the impatient military demanded the immediate launch of
impeachment proceedings against him.
expires. But the impatient military demanded the immediate launch of
impeachment proceedings against him.
“Any decision taken outside the constitutional framework is considered null and void,” the general said.
Without naming anyone, Gaid Salah criticised “the stubbornness, the
procrastination and the deviousness of certain individuals who are
trying to make the crisis last and make it more complex with the only
concern being their narrow personal interests”.
procrastination and the deviousness of certain individuals who are
trying to make the crisis last and make it more complex with the only
concern being their narrow personal interests”.
He said the army’s “sole ambition” was to “protect the people from a
handful of (other) people who have unduly taken over the wealth of the
Algerian people”.
handful of (other) people who have unduly taken over the wealth of the
Algerian people”.
Bouteflika has come under mounting pressure to step down since his
decision to seek a fifth term despite rarely being seen in public after
suffering a stroke in 2013.
decision to seek a fifth term despite rarely being seen in public after
suffering a stroke in 2013.
The 82-year-old, who uses a wheelchair, said last month he would pull
out of the race and postponed April elections, in moves that angered
protesters who saw it as a ploy to extend his two decades in power.
out of the race and postponed April elections, in moves that angered
protesters who saw it as a ploy to extend his two decades in power.
Gaid Salah, a long-time Bouteflika ally, last week called on the
president to resign or be declared unfit to rule, becoming one of the
first of his faithful supporters to abandon him.
president to resign or be declared unfit to rule, becoming one of the
first of his faithful supporters to abandon him.
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