ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria's powerful army chief has retained his post in a newly-named government despite his call to have ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika declared unfit for office.

Algerian national television announced Sunday night that Bouteflika and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui named a new government after weeks of mass protests and political tensions in this gas-rich North African country.

The new government notably keeps Ahmed Gaid Salah as army chief of staff and vice defense minister.

Gaid Salah shocked the nation with his call last week for the constitutional council to set in motion a process to end Bouteflika's 20-year presidency. Gaid Salah suggested Saturday that unnamed figures were plotting against him.

Millions of Algerians have been holding weekly protests demanding Bouteflika leave office.</s>Algeria’s constitutional council has dismissed reports that it has met to decide whether President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is fit for office, state radio said on Thursday, after the army called for his removal and allies deserted the ailing leader.

The report came two days after the Algerian army’s powerful chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Gaed Salah, called on the constitutional council to rule whether the ailing 82-year-old president is fit for office.

Such a ruling would have to be ratified by a two-thirds majority in the two houses of parliament.

The remarks by Lieutenant General Salah were the first instance of direct intervention in the crisis by the military. The Algerian army had previously praised the protesters and said at the same time that it would not tolerate chaos, but it had also refrained from directly calling for Bouteflika’s removal from office.

Mass protests began across the country after Bouteflika announced his bid for a fifth term in office earlier this month. Under increasing pressure, the Algerian president ultimately dropped his bid for another term, but protests have continued, demanding that he step down.

Earlier in the day, Hundreds of protesters again took to the streets of central Algiers to demand Bouteflika’s resignation and also to criticize the country’s entire political system.

“Thieves, you have destroyed the country,” they chanted.

Under Article 102 of the constitution, the chairman of parliament’s upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 days after Bouteflika’s departure.

Even if Bouteflika quits, there is no clear long-term successor.

Since suffering a stroke in 2013, the 82-year-old Bouteflika has been using a wheelchair and has rarely been seen in public.

This article has been adapted from its original source</s>Anti-government protesters thronged the streets of Algeria's capital Algiers Friday, saying moves by top loyalists to abandon ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika were not enough.

Rallies were expected to take place across the North African country, where protests broke out more than a month ago when Bouteflika announced his bid for a fifth term.

Demonstrators turned out in huge numbers despite a succession of loyalists deserting the president and calling for him to step down and make way for a government-led change of leadership.

About one million people took to the streets of Algiers on Friday to demand the resignation of Bouteflika, police officers at the scene told Reuters, in the biggest demonstration since unrest erupted six weeks ago.

Police helicopters circled overhead and riot police vans lined sensitive neighborhoods, but the mood was largely festive.

Activists angrily rejected those moves as desperate bids by key figures in Bouteflika's entourage to salvage their own grip on power and demanded that they too quit.

"Bouteflika you go, take Gaid Salah with you," and "FLN out" protesters shouted, referring to the armed forces chief of staff and the president's party.

From the early hours of Friday crowds of demonstrators, many of them young but also including army veterans of Algeria's 1990s civil war, packed the square outside the capital's main post office, which has become the epicenter of protests.

"We're fed up with those in power," the demonstrators chanted. "We want a new government".

Some waved the green, white and red Algerian flag or draped it over their shoulders, while others held banners with slogans and cartoons.

Some made lengthy journeys to take part in the protest.

"We're here to issue a final appeal to those in power: 'Take your bags and go'," said Amin, a 45-year-old who travelled to the capital from the port of Bejaia, nearly 200 kilometers (125 miles) away.

Earlier this month, 82-year-old Bouteflika, who uses a wheelchair and has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, said he would not stand for re-election -- but also postponed the April vote.

His move angered Algerians who saw it as a ploy by those around him to extend his two decades in power. Tens of thousands again took to the streets demanding his immediate ouster.

Faced with persistent public anger, a succession of veteran Bouteflika loyalists deserted the president this week.

On Tuesday, Chief of Staff General Ahmed Gaid Salah, who was appointed by Bouteflika in 2004, called for him to step down or be declared medically unfit.

The chief of staff on Tuesday cited Article 102 of the constitution, under which a president can be removed if found unfit to rule.

Long a faithful Bouteflika supporter, Gaid Salah said on television it was "imperative" to find a way out of the crisis "which responds to the legitimate demands" of the people in line with the constitution.

Article 102 of Algeria's charter empowers the Constitutional Council to determine if the president is unable to do his job due to a serious or enduring illness, and asks parliament to declare him unfit. In this case, head of parliament's upper house, Abdelkader Bensaleh, would serve as interim president for 45 days.

However, the opposition believes the enforcement of the article is not sufficient to ensure a democratic transition and fair elections.

On Wednesday, Bouteflika's longtime coalition partner, the National Rally for Democracy (RND) of former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, also called for him to step down.

The RND said it "recommends the resignation of the president... with the aim of smoothing the period of transition," in a statement signed by its leader Ouyahia.

A longtime supporter of the veteran president, the unpopular Ouyahia served as Bouteflika's prime minister three times since 2003 before being sacrificed on March 11 in a vain bid to calm the intensifying protests.

'All of you go'

The head of the powerful General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA), Abdelmadjid Sidi Said, also welcomed the army chief's call on Wednesday.

Applying Article 102 would constitute "the legal framework capable of overcoming the political crisis facing our country," he said.

Thursday saw the resignation of the president of Algeria's Business Leaders Forum, Ali Hadad, widely seen as a political tool of Bouteflika who had come under harsh criticism from protesters.

But the idea of Bouteflika's inner circle retaining their grip on power through a substitute leader drew short shrift from Friday's protesters.

Some chose humor to convey their rejection of the call for a government-led transition under Article 102.

"102 -- that number is out of service," said one placard held up by the crowd outside the main post office and telephone exchange. "Please call the people."

Others raised a banner saying: "We demand the implementation of Article 2019: All of you go."

"The way out is for Bouteflika to resign and for a transitional period to be run by another man than Bensaleh, who is part of the present regime," a protester in Algiers said.

"Those who have ruled Algeria over the past years and plundered public money will bow to the people's demands despite their attempt to cling to power," rights activist Abdel-Ghani Badi told dpa.

Elsewhere in Algeria, anti-Bouteflika demonstrators held peaceful marches in the provinces of Tizi Ouzou and Batna, local media reported.

The protesters, some cloaked in the national flag, chanted against the ruling elite: "You leave means you leave."</s>ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria's powerful army chief has retained his post in a newly-named government despite his call to have ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika declared unfit for office.

Algerian national television announced Sunday night that Bouteflika and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui named a new government after weeks of mass protests and political tensions in this gas-rich North African country.

The new government notably keeps Ahmed Gaid Salah as army chief of staff and vice defense minister.

Gaid Salah shocked the nation with his call last week for the constitutional council to set in motion a process to end Bouteflika's 20-year presidency. Gaid Salah suggested Saturday that unnamed figures were plotting against him.

Millions of Algerians have been holding weekly protests demanding Bouteflika leave office.</s>ALGIERS, Algeria — Algeria's powerful army chief retained his post in a newly-named government despite his call to have ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika declared unfit for office.

Algerian national television announced Sunday night that Bouteflika and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui named a new government after weeks of mass protests and political tensions in this gas-rich North African country.

The new government notably keeps Ahmed Gaid Salah as army chief of staff and vice defense minister.

Gaid Salah shocked the nation with his call last week for the constitutional council to set in motion a process to end Bouteflika's 20-year presidency. Critics accused Gaid Salah of trying to orchestrate a coup, and the army chief suggested Saturday that unnamed figures were plotting against him as a result of his stand against Bouteflika's presidency.

Millions of Algerians have been holding weekly protests demanding that Bouteflika leave office along with the distrusted political elite. Algerians have barely seen their president, now 82, since a 2013 stroke.

Also Sunday, a top Algerian businessman was arrested at an Algerian border post as he was apparently trying to go to Tunisia, Algerian media reported.

Journalists at tycoon Ali Haddad's private television channel Dzair News said he was arrested overnight in Oum Tboul, close to the Tunisian border.

Haddad, long a backer of Bouteflika, resigned this week as head of Algeria's Business Forum, apparently trying to distance himself from the unpopular leader whose government has been accused of corruption.

Bouteflika withdrew from running for a new term but canceled Algeria's April 18 presidential election. Pressure has mounted for him to step down before his current term expires later this month.</s>Algerian protesters gather during a mass demonstration against ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the capital Algiers on March 29, 2019 Protest-hit Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Sunday named a new government headed by recently appointed Noureddine Bedoui, a statement from the presidency said. State television reported that armed forces chief Ahmed Gaid Salah, who has called for Bouteflika to step down, remained as deputy defence minister.

Veteran politician Ramtane Lamamra, who was appointed deputy prime minister and foreign minister on March 11, was not named in the new administration.

Ailing Bouteflika, who has rarely being seen in public since a 2013 stroke, has come under mounting pressure to quit power since his decision to seek a fifth term sparked huge demonstrations.

Bouteflika said earlier this month he would pull out of the race and postponed April elections, in moves that angered Algerians who see it as a ploy to extend his two decades in power.

Faced with persistent public anger, a succession of veteran Bouteflika loyalists have deserted the president in recent days.

On Tuesday, chief of staff Gaid Salah, who was appointed in 2004, called for him to step down or be declared medically unfit.

The chief of staff cited Article 102 of the constitution, under which a president can be removed if found unfit to rule.

Long a faithful Bouteflika supporter, Gaid Salah said on television it was "imperative" to find a way out of the crisis "which responds to the legitimate demands" of the people in line with the constitution.

Despite the calls, huge crowds thronged the streets of Algeria's capital on Friday for a sixth successive week, saying the moves by his key allies to abandon Bouteflika were not enough.</s>Algeria’s army chief renewed a call for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be declared unfit for office and told opponents not to seek to undermine the military, after weeks of protests demanding an end to the ailing leader’s 20-year rule. Bouteflika, 82, who has rarely been seen in public in recent years, has faced mass demonstrations for more than a month. His announcement that he would not seek a fifth term but that he would not quit immediately has failed to assuage protesters. To break the stalemate, Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah made a proposal on Tuesday for the constitutional council declare Bouteflika unfit for office, a move provided for under article 102 of the charter.</s>Protest-hit Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Sunday named a new government headed by recently appointed Noureddine Bedoui, a statement from the presidency said.

State television reported that armed forces chief Ahmed Gaid Salah, who has called for Bouteflika to step down, remained as deputy defence minister.

Veteran politician Ramtane Lamamra, who was appointed deputy prime minister and foreign minister on March 11, was not named in the new administration.

Ailing Bouteflika, who has rarely being seen in public since a 2013 stroke, has come under mounting pressure to quit power since his decision to seek a fifth term sparked huge demonstrations.

Bouteflika said earlier this month he would pull out of the race and postponed April elections, in moves that angered Algerians who see it as a ploy to extend his two decades in power.

Faced with persistent public anger, a succession of veteran Bouteflika loyalists have deserted the president in recent days.

On Tuesday, chief of staff Gaid Salah, who was appointed in 2004, called for him to step down or be declared medically unfit.

The chief of staff cited Article 102 of the constitution, under which a president can be removed if found unfit to rule.

Long a faithful Bouteflika supporter, Gaid Salah said on television it was "imperative" to find a way out of the crisis "which responds to the legitimate demands" of the people in line with the constitution.

Despite the calls, huge crowds thronged the streets of Algeria's capital on Friday for a sixth successive week, saying the moves by his key allies to abandon Bouteflika were not enough.</s>ALGIERS, March 31 (Reuters) - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika named a new caretaker government on Sunday, keeping Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaed Salah in his post as deputy defence minister even after he called for Bouteflika to be declared unfit for office.

Announcing the new cabinet, state television said Bouteflika had appointed central bank governor Mohamed Loukal as finance minister and Mohamed Arkab as energy minister.

He appointed Sabri Boukadoum as foreign minister to replace Ramtane Lamamra, who had taken up the post this month in another reshuffle. Bouteflika kept his title as defence minister.</s>ALGIERS (Reuters) - Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika named a new caretaker government on Sunday, keeping Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaed Salah in his post as deputy defense minister even after he called for Bouteflika to be declared unfit for office.

Announcing the new cabinet, state television said Bouteflika had appointed central bank governor Mohamed Loukal as finance minister and Mohamed Arkab as energy minister.

He appointed Sabri Boukadoum as foreign minister to replace Ramtane Lamamra, who had taken up the post this month in another reshuffle. Bouteflika kept his title as defense minister.
Algerian Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah renews his call for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, be declared unfit for office. He also told opponents not to seek to undermine the military.