Image copyright AFP/Getty Image caption President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has led Algeria since 1999

Algeria's army chief of staff has demanded President Abdelaziz Bouteflika be declared unfit to rule after weeks of protests against him.

Speaking on television, Lt Gen Ahmed Gaed Salah said: "We must find a way out of this crisis immediately, within the constitutional framework."

The president has already agreed not to stand for a fifth term in upcoming elections, which have been delayed.

Demonstrators accuse the 82-year-old of a ploy to prolong his 20-year rule.

Talks have been set up to oversee the country's political transition, draft a new constitution and set the date for elections. But they do not yet have a date to start.

Protests against Mr Bouteflika began last month after the president, who has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013, said he planned to stand for another term.

But people have continued to march even after he agreed not to stand, instead demanding immediate change.

Lt Gen Gaed Salah - who is also deputy defence minister and seen as loyal to Mr Bouteflika - has previously said the military and the people had a united vision of the future, hinting at the armed forces' support for the demonstrators.

What did the army chief say?

Lt Gen Gaed Salah said the constitution was "the only guarantee to preserve a stable political situation", and called for the use of Article 102, which allows the Constitutional Council to declare the position of president vacant if the leader is unfit to rule.

"This solution achieves consensus and must be accepted by all," he said to the applause of officers watching the speech.

Under the constitution, the head of the Senate, Abdelkhader Bansallah, would become the acting head of state until an election could be held.

Reports suggest the Constitutional Council is now holding a special meeting after the speech.

The dramatic intervention by the armed forces chief of staff is the latest development after weeks of sustained protest in Algeria.

Earlier this month Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia announced his resignation and was replaced by Interior Minister Noureddine Bedoui.

A significant intervention

By Rana Jawad, BBC North Africa correspondent

The announcement by Algeria's army chief is symbolically significant. However, given the reality of President Bouteflika's health status, the constitutional impasse over an extension to his current mandate until elections are held, and the rallying calls by protestors who remain on Algeria's streets, the move is hardly unexpected.

Still, there will be questions over the army's chief's motivations. In recent years, it is the president's circle of political and army loyalists who appear to have spoken on his behalf as his absence peaked due to illness.

Lt Gen Ahmad Gaed Salah is viewed as fiercely loyal to Mr Bouteflika and a central "pillar" to the ruling powers of Algeria - so much so that on the weekend, a privately-owned local newspaper reported that he "must go" along with the president.

The country's Constitutional Council will need to back this latest call, and then ultimately it will be left to the parliament to officially decide the president's political fate.

Who is Abdelaziz Bouteflika?

A veteran of Algeria's war of independence, Mr Bouteflika's upper-class, Westernised style led him to be called "the dandy diplomat" in some quarters.

He came into office, backed by the army, after the 1990s civil war and was largely viewed as a unifier of the many factions underpinning Algerian politics.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Half of Algeria’s population is under the age of 30.

Unlike some leaders in the region, his presidency survived the protests of the Arab Spring in 2011 - until now.

He does not travel around the country or abroad, except for medical treatment.

His aides represent him at events and read his messages to the public, and the announcement that he was not standing for a fifth presidential term was read on his behalf by a newsreader on national TV.

What could happen next?

By Ahmed Rouaba, BBC Africa

The Constitutional Council must first agree to trigger Article 102 of the constitution.

Both chambers of parliament would then meet in a joint session and vote on whether the president is unfit to perform his duties. A two-thirds majority is required.

If this passes, the speaker of the upper house of parliament, the Council of the Nation, would take over the duties of the president.

The new provisional head of state would rule for 45 days with a specific mission to prepare for new presidential elections. The provisional president cannot stand in those elections.</s>Algeria’s army chief called on Tuesday for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be declared unfit to govern, following weeks of mass protests urging on the ailing leader to step down.

General Ahmed Gaid Salah said in a televised speech the “way out of crisis ... is in Article 102” of the constitution, under which the president could be declared unable to perform his duties due to serious illness.

Based on Article 52 of the Algerian constitution, the chairman of the parliament's upper house, Abdelkader Bensalah, would serve as caretaker president for at least 45 days.

Thousands of people rallied in Algiers on Tuesday calling on Bouteflika to quit, keeping up the pressure in weeks of protests that threaten to topple him and the elderly elite that has helped keep him in power for 20 years.

 

 Bouteflika, among the veterans of the 1954-62 war of independence against France who continue to dominate Algeria, has bowed to protesters by reversing a decision to seek another term and putting off elections that had been set for April.</s>Algerian army chief calls for official move to declare President Abdelaziz Bouteflika unfit for office

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algerian army chief calls for official move to declare President Abdelaziz Bouteflika unfit for office.</s>Algeria's army chief called Tuesday for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be declared unfit to govern, following weeks of mass protests demanding the ailing leader step down after two decades in power.

The move would potentially clear the way for elections to be organised in the coming months unless the president recovers.

"It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of the crisis which responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which guarantees the respect of the provisions of the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state," General Ahmed Gaid Salah said in a televised speech.

The armed forces chief of staff, considered loyal to Bouteflika who appointed him in 2004, added that the solution "is in article 102" of the constitution, putting the onus on the president either to resign or be declared unfit to govern by a vote of parliament due to a "serious and durable illness".

The 82-year-old leader uses a wheelchair and has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. He has often flown to France or Switzerland for treatment.

Bouteflika said last month he would run for a fifth term in office, despite concerns about his ability to rule, triggering a wave of protests that brought hundreds of thousands into the streets.

On March 11, after returning home from medical checkups in Switzerland, he made the surprise announcement that he was pulling out of the race.

But he also postponed the elections, angering protesters who saw the move as a ploy to stay in power.

Although credited with helping foster peace after Algeria's decade-long civil war, Bouteflika has faced criticism for alleged authoritarianism.

Article 102 of the Algerian constitution states that if the president is unable to govern due to a "serious and durable illness", the head of the Constitutional Council, Tayeb Belaiz, a Bouteflika loyalist, can launch a procedure to remove declare him unfit to carry out his duties.

The council must first meet to verify that the president is unable to perform his duties and then inform parliament to declare him unfit by a two-thirds majority vote with both houses sitting.

The head of the senate then takes over as acting president for a 45-day period. If the presidency is still deemed "vacant" or if Bouteflika has resigned, the interim can serve for a maximum 90 more days during which presidential elections are organised.

The call from the chief of Algeria's powerful military was welcomed with car horns honking in Algiers but also with caution.

"It will not solve the crisis. The people are not only calling for the departure of Bouteflika but of all the (political) system," Oumeima Khellah, a 24-year-old student, told AFP.

Mohand Chertouk, an electrician, said the general's call was "just an attempt to win more time" as he also called for a "deep overhaul" of Algeria's political system.

"No one should underestimate the power of the street," added Chertouk in reference to weeks of protests across Algeria calling for change.

Earlier Tuesday, hundreds of students who have been at the forefront of the protests were back on the streets of Algiers.

They were led by a group in traditional costumes representing several regions of the country, and holding signs saying: "We are all Algerians, we are all united".

"Algerian leaders think we will give up... of course not. We will be back here every Tuesday until they all leave," said Sayet, 24, who studies architecture.

Samy Bouchaib, a researcher with the state-run Renewable Energy Development Centre, joined the rally in the square outside the capital's main post office.

"We are opposed to fossilised power. We need a renewable power with youthful competences," said Bouchaib.

There were also demonstrations in the Mediterranean port city of Bejaia where several hundred students marched, vowing to keep up the pressure.

"We want to continue marching even during the holidays," said Saidi Mohamed, as fellow students around him chanted slogans calling on the country's political system to "get out".

They were joined by farmers driving tractors and employees of the state-run forestry department in their khaki uniforms.

"What is happening is unprecedented in the history of Algeria. We all lived to see this moment," said Sabrina Zouagui, a teacher of French literature who joined the protests.

"We must say no to the (political) system and move toward a state of law," she added.</s>ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algerian army chief calls for official move to declare President Abdelaziz Bouteflika unfit for office.</s>Algeria's army chief called Tuesday for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be declared unfit to govern, following weeks of mass protests demanding the ailing leader step down.

The move would potentially clear the way for elections to be organised in the coming months unless the president recovers.

"It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of the crisis which responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which guarantees the respect of the provisions of the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state," General Ahmed Gaid Salah said in a televised speech.

The armed forces chief of staff, considered loyal to Bouteflika, added that the solution "is in article 102" of the constitution, under which parliament could declare the president unable to perform his duties due to serious illness.

The 82-year-old leader uses a wheelchair and has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.

Bouteflika said last month he would run for a fifth term in office, despite concerns about his ability to rule, triggering a wave of protests that brought hundreds of thousands into the streets.

He later promised not to stand for another term but also postponed the elections, angering protesters who saw the move as a ploy to stay in power.

The army chief's call was welcomed with car horns honking in Algiers.</s>Algeria's chief of staff (right) has called for Mr Bouteflika to be declared unfit to govern

The Algerian army's chief of staff has called for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to be declared unfit to govern after two decades in power.

In a televised speech, General Ahmed Gaid Salah said: "It is necessary, even imperative, to adopt a solution to get out of the crisis which responds to the legitimate demands of the Algerian people, and which guarantees the respect of the provisions of the constitution and safeguards the sovereignty of the state."

The army chief is the most senior official to turn against the 82-year-old president, whose long rule has prompted weeks of mass protests in the north African nation.

A possible solution to the crisis could be found in Article 102 of Algeria's constitution, under which parliament has the power to declare the president unfit to rule due to "serious and lasting illness".

President Bouteflika suffered a stroke in April 2013, which left him in a wheelchair. The leader has often flown to Switzerland for treatment and now appears very rarely in public.

Article 102 also allows for the extension of parliamentary terms of office in exceptional circumstances.

Hasni Abidi, a Swiss-based Algerian who heads a think tank, said: "This is a default solution following the failure of the negotiations of the departure of the president. It moves away from the democratic transition and approaches a framed succession."

Last month, Mr Bouteflika said he would run for a fifth term in office, triggering protests that brought hundreds of thousands of people to the streets.

After returning home from medical treatment in Switzerland, on 11 March he announced that he was no longer running for another term.

Instead, he postponed the elections that were scheduled for 18 April.

Mr Bouteflika's plan was seen as a way prolonging his current term and protests have continued since then.

Algeria's ruling coalition party has called for his resignation too, with the RND party's secretary general Ahmed Ouyahia saying it "recommends" Mr Bouteflika's resignation to facilitate the transition of power.</s>Algeria’s army chief of staff has demanded President Abdelaziz Bouteflika be declared unfit to rule after weeks of protests against him.

“We must find a way out of this crisis immediately, within the constitutional framework,” Lt Gen Ahmed Gaed Salah said in a televised speech.

The president has already agreed not to stand for a fifth term in upcoming elections, which have been delayed. But demonstrators accused him of a ploy to prolong his 20-year rule. -BBC</s>Algeria’s influential army chief on Tuesday urged that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika be declared unfit for office, a move that could pave the way for the ailing leader’s ouster amid weeks of mass protests against his lengthy rule.

The declaration by Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, in a speech carried on state television, was the latest sign that Bouteflika’s core allies were increasingly seeing his departure as the way to solve Algeria’s biggest political crisis in decades. Virtually every day, including Tuesday, tens of thousands of protesters have marched in cities across this North African nation demanding that Bouteflika step down.

“We must find a way out of this crisis immediately, within the constitutional framework,” Salah said.

[Tens of thousands protest Algerian leader’s quest for a fifth term]

Salah, among the most powerful men in Algeria, added that “the only guarantee for political stability” is to launch the constitutional process that would empower lawmakers to determine whether Bouteflika is fit to exercise the duties of the presidency. The 82-year-old wheelchair-bound leader has barely been seen in public since a 2013 stroke and recently spent two weeks in a medical facility in Switzerland.

If the measure to declare him unfit is approved by a two-thirds majority in parliament, Bouteflika would be forced to step down. Then, the president of the Senate would take hold of the reins of government until elections are held.

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news</s>Abdelaziz Bouteflika has rarely been seen since suffering a stroke in 2013 SIDALI DJARBOUB/AP

Algeria’s ailing octogenarian president appears close to losing power after the country’s top-ranking soldier said that he should be declared unfit for office.

The announcement was met by a concert of car horns in the capital, Algiers, as people celebrated what they saw as the imminent end of Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s 20-year presidency.

The north African country, which is facing an economic crisis despite its oil and gas reserves, has witnessed unprecedented demonstrations against Mr Bouteflika, 82, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets to call for his departure.

The movement won what many observers believed to be the backing of the army when Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah, the chief of staff, called for the use of a constitutional procedure designed to unseat presidents…
Algeria's Chief of Staff of the People's National Army Ahmed Gaid Salah, the highest-ranked military official in the country, gives a televised address, calling on President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to resign or be declared "unfit to serve" by the People's National Assembly.