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The president of Algeria formally accepted the country's prime minister's resignation, paving the way to form a new government following the parliamentary election results.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune has accepted the resignation of the government led by Abdelaziz Djerad, appointing him as caretaker premier until a new cabinet is formed, according to a statement on Thursday by the Algerian presidency,
Djerad’s resignation follows the parliamentary elections from June 12, marked by a low turnout and no majority winner after two years marred by mass protests and turmoil.
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The vote was boycotted by the Hirak protest movement, and the turnout was the lowest ever recorded in an Algerian election at just 23 percent
Algeria’s biggest political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was the winner of the general election, gaining 98 seats in the 407-seat parliament.
The FLN, which emerged from Algeria’s long struggle for independence from France in 1962 and was the country’s only party until the first multiparty elections in 1990, witnessed a better result than was expected.
But the party of longtime President Abdelaziz Bouteflika had been stagnant after the president resigned under pressure from the army following weeks of the Hirak protests in early 2019.
The president must begin negotiations with the leaders of the winning parties to nominate a new prime minister after receiving the resignation of the government, according to the Algerian constitution.
According to a source that spoke with Reuters news agency, the military-ruled establishment believes replacing the parliament and constitution is the best way to end the country's biggest crisis in 10 years, while the Hirak protest movement is demanding an uprooting of the entire system.
Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad resigned on Thursday, opening the door for President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to name a new cabinet, state TV said.https://t.co/16r3joNHMd
— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) June 24, 2021
In the parliamentary elections, Independents won 84 seats and the Islamist-leaning Movement of Society for Peace 65, while the pro-establishment Democratic National Rally party won 58 seats.
For the rest of the political factions, the Future Party secured 48 seats, while the National Building Movement won 39 seats, followed by the Justice and Development Front party with two seats.
In order to form a majority in Algeria's parliament with 204 seats, at least three parliamentary blocs must join together, given the results.
Before naming a prime minister and establishing a government reflective of the new political landscape, the new parliament will assume their seats in July.
Algeria, an important gas supplier to southern Europe and a partner of the United States in the fight against the region's armed groups, will have to tackle a deep financial and economic crisis due to a sharp decline in oil prices.
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