Algeria’s interim president Abdelkader Bensalah on Thursday called out all parties to begin a dialogue to prepare for presidential elections, reported France 24.
In a televised address, Bensalah urged the political class and civil society in Algeria to launch an “inclusive dialogue” aimed at fixing a new date for elections as soon as possible. The former upper house speaker was appointed as the interim president on April 9 under constitutional rules which deem a presidential election must then be held within 90 days.
The call for talks follows the constitutional council’s scrapping of the presidential election scheduled for July 4. The council said it was not possible to conduct the poll to choose a successor to former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in July after the only two candidates were rejected. The two candidates, Abdelhakim Hamadi, and Hamid Touahri had not been expected to gather the necessary 60,000 voter signatures to validate their bid for office.
Notably, now after the postponement of the election, the constitutional council has suggested Bensalah’s mandate be extended.
The July election had drawn widespread protests from the public, with the demonstrators demanding Bouteflika allies to step down from their posts to make way for a broader political overhaul before any elections are held. Former President Bouteflika ended his 20-year rule two months ago under pressure from protesters.
Even after Bouteflika’s exit, the protestors have remained affirmed with their demands. They are expected to return to the streets on Friday to demand Bensalah’s resignation and an end to the dominance of the ruling elite who have ruled Algeria since it won independence from France in 1962. The protesters have also called for Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui and Army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah to step down, along with other tainted top figures.
