ALGERIA
Bowing Out
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika finally resigned after weeks of protests calling for him to step down, bringing a sudden end to his two-decade reign.
In a brief statement, the longtime leader said Tuesday he had “notified the president of the constitutional council of his decision to end his mandate,” the UK’s Guardian newspaper reported. The departure was barely voluntary: The 82-year-old leader stood down shortly after the army chief of staff demanded immediate action to remove him from office, reported Reuters.
Citizens celebrated in the streets, hailing a victory of the popular will, despite uncertainty regarding what might come next.
With Bouteflika’s resignation, the chairman of the upper house of parliament, Abdelkader Bensalah, will serve as interim president for 90 days until elections are held. But the emboldened protesters are now calling for more comprehensive changes to Algeria’s political system.
“I’m happy, I’m excited and I’m scared,” said Nourhane Atmani, a 20-year-old student from Algiers. “This is just a first step. We’ll keep going until we have fair, transparent elections and a new government.”
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