A protester holds up a poster calling for Bensalah to step down
ALGIERS, April 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Algeria will hold presidential elections on July 4, interim leader Abdelkader Bensalah announced.
It comes after a wave of protests led long-term President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 82, to resign last week.
The temporary appointment of Bensalah, 77, speaker of the Algerian parliament’s upper house, has frustrated some protesters who hoped for more radical change.
Following the appointment, crowds took to the streets of the capital, Algiers, demanding he step down.
Bensalah had pledged to hold free elections within 90 days in line with the country’s constitution.
On Wednesday, the country’s army chief, Lt Gen Gaid Salah, made his first public address since Bensalah’s appointment.
In a televised speech, he cautioned protesters about demands that could undermine the country’s constitutional integrity.
Protests so far have largely been peaceful, although tear gas and water cannon were used by security forces on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the interior ministry has issued licenses for 10 new political parties, private Ennahar TV said on Wednesday.
Allowing new political parties suggests some flexibility by the Algerian authorities, who have faced weeks of protests demanding immediate steps to introduce democratic reforms including political pluralism. — NNN-AGENCIES
