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Algerian lawmakers appointed a regime stalwart as the country’s first new president in two decades yesterday but thousands of protesters rejected the parliament’s choice, demanding immediate steps to remove the old guard and introduce sweeping democratic reforms.
The election of upper house speaker Abdelkader Bensalah as interim president follows constitutional rules but goes against the demands of demonstrators, who have pushed for him and other top politicians to stand down.
“I want to work towards fulfilling the interests of the people,” Bensalah, a trusted ally of Bouteflika, told parliament on taking up the 90-day interim presidency. “It’s a great responsibility that the constitution demands of me,” the 77-year-old added.
Three men in particular have drawn demonstrators’ ire: Bensalah, the head of the constitutional council Tayeb Belaiz and prime minister Noureddine Bedoui. The protest movement is calling for a new transitional framework that is committed to deep reforms and organising free elections.
Opposition parties refused to back the appointment of the seasoned establishment insider and boycotted the session, as thousands of students protested against him in Algiers. “Resign Bensalah!” they chanted, clutching hand-written placards and Algerian flags.
For the first time in seven weeks police in the capital fired tear gas to try to disperse the protest by students, who were also hit with water cannon.
On Friday, in the first weekly mass protest since Bouteflika announced his departure after losing the military’s support, Algerians demanded regime insiders be excluded from the political transition. Ahead of the parliamentary session, an editorial in pro-government daily El Moudjahid on Tuesday suggested Bensalah should step aside from the presidential post.
