Algeria: Army Chief seeks to dissolve crisis

General Ahmed Gaid Salah, the Chief of Army of Algeria has said that the army is taking all options into consideration for resolving the political crisis of the country as people are protesting throughout the capital city demanding the resignation of the interim leaders of the country.

Salah said in a speech, “time is running out” for finding a solution to the above crisis ahead of the elections which are due on July 04. Salah added, “All options are open in the pursuit of overcoming the different difficulties and finding a solution to the crisis as soon as possible, in a way that serves our nation’s interests without regard to individual interest”.

The comments have come after the reports from the media about stepping down of the head of Constitutional Council of Algeria, Tayeb Belaiz. Belaiz tendered his resignation to the state head. The Constitutional Council will be playing a major role in the upcoming Presidential elections.

The protestors have been demanding resignations from Belaiz and other prominent figures by protesting in masses. The protests have been the main driving force behind the departure of the President Bouteflika earlier in the month. Even after the resignation of the President the protests have continued calling for a broad overhaul of the whole political system. The current protests in Algiers is aimed at withdrawal of all the allies of the Bouteflika from any kind of political transition. The protestors are adamant that they will continue the stir until there are formations of a transitional authority led by clean politicians.

The protestors are primarily against the 3B i.e. Belaiz, Noureddine Bedoui who is the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Upper House, Abdelkader Bensalah. Latter has been named as the interim President. Bensalah has defended the appointment as completely Constitutional and has vowed to conduct a transparent poll. It is the Constitutional Council which is to oversee the candidates of the elections and also ensure the regularity of the polls. Although the resignation of Belaiz is a significant one but it is highly unlikely that it will be able to please the demonstrators who are looking at a complete transition of power which is led by independent figures.