In a communication from the president’s office during the Monday night write Bouteflika that it was never the case for him to stand in the election, because of his ”health and age”, according to the algerian news agency APS.
According to Reuters, citing the office of the president also that there should be a referendum on a new constitution and presidential elections will be postponed. The election was scheduled for april, no new date has been set.
the Country’s prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia has resigned and will be replaced by interior minister Noureddine Bedoui, and Ramtane Lamamra, a diplomatic advisor to Bouteflika, has been appointed vice prime minister.
in recent weeks, gathered on the streets for mass protests against the aging president, who ruled the country for 20 years but after a stroke a few years ago rarely made public appearances.
A fifth term would go against the country’s constitution, but the plans for a new candidacy was confirmed just over a week ago, when an official application is submitted. At the same time indicated that he would announce a new election within a year, if he won the elections in april.
on the Sunday, after having been in Switzerland for medical treatment. During the period he had been away more and more of his long-standing allies put themselves on the protesters ‘ side, and during Monday, over a thousand judges in the country that they would refuse to monitor the presidential elections if Bouteflika stood up, writes Reuters.
the News that he now withdraws his candidacy was greeted on Monday by jubilant crowds on the streets of Algeria.
” Our protests have borne fruit! We defeated those who advocated a fifth term, ” says the taxi driver Mohamed Kaci to Reuters.
