Algerian Ruling Coalition Member Party Backs Army’s Call To Oust President Abdelaziz Bouteflika

Algeria’s National Rally for Democracy (RND), a member of the ruling coalition, on Wednesday, backed the army chief’s call for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to quit in a managed exit plan, reported Reuters.

The statement from the political party came a day after Algeria’s army chief Ahmed Gaid Salah said Bouteflika should be declared unfit for office.

The General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA), which ha sling been a supporter of the president, also said it supported the army call for Bouteflika to step down. The call out by several groups and parties gives a clear signal that the 82-year-old president has little to no chance of staying in power anymore.

The army chief told the nation in a televised address on Tuesday that he considered the demonstrator’s demands to be valid and called out for the presidency to be vacated to pave the way for an end to Bouteflika’ 20 years in power.

“It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of this crisis that responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which respects and adheres to the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state,” Lt Gen Salah said.

The army chief called on Algeria’s constitutional council to begin the process to declare the presidency vacant so that fresh elections could be held in three months. Such a ruling would have to be ratified by a two-thirds majority of members in the two houses of parliament.

Even the ruling FLN party came forward supporting the army’s bid to have the constitutional council declare him unfit for office.

 “We announce our support for the initiative as a start to a constitutional plan that will allow us to protect our country from dangers,” the party said in a statement.

However, the protestors fueled by anger over alleged corruption, nepotism and economic mismanagement said the plan still did not go far enough as they want a transition which will lead to a government by consensus.

“Protests will continue… Algerians’ demands include a change of the political system,” Mustapha Bouchachi, a lawyer and activist, told Reuters.