In Algeria, representatives of the opposition have accused the military of planning a coup. The military leader Ahmed Gaid Salah, who leads the Algerian People’s Army as chief officer, had demanded that the incumbent president of Algeria be declared incapacitated.
Politician Yassine Aissiouane of the Liberal Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) said that General Salah is part of the power elite and thus part of the problem. He could not be part of the solution, the proposal must be considered as a coup attempt. Even the head of the party Jil Jadid, Sofiane Djillali, commented on the events: „We have entered a new situation in this crisis.“ He called for renewed participation in demonstrations against the country’s political leadership next Friday. A message from the party bureau of the Islamist party MSP said that the people demanded further reforms, that dismissing the president was not considered sufficient.
The National Democratic Rally (RND), which is involved in the government, however, signaled support for the proposal of the military. The dismissal of the president is a way to return to a constitutional path, said party spokesman Seddik Chiheb the media company TSA.
With article 102 Bouteflika could be discontinued
Military chief Salah had proposed applying Article 102 of the Algerian constitution. This regulates that the president can not continue his office for health reasons. According to the Constitution, it is for the Algerian Constitutional Court to declare Article 102 and thus declare the President incapacitated. The court initially did not comment on the demand of the military.
Massive protests have been taking place almost daily in Algeria for five weeks now. At times, several million people protested against a fifth term of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The head of state announced reforms, but then postponed the presidential election, which had been scheduled for mid-April, indefinitely. On April 28, Bouteflika’s term would have ended.
Bouteflika has been ruling Algeria since 1999. Since a stroke in 2013, he sits in a wheelchair, can hardly speak and barely occurs in public. Critics no longer consider the frail 82-year-old to be one who actually holds the power of decision.
