By Abbas Maymouni
ALGIERS (AA) – President Abdelaziz Bouteflika no longer holds executive authority, a prominent Algerian opposition figure asserted on Tuesday.
“The Algerian people have withdrawn confidence from the current authority [i.e., the presidency], which lacks popular legitimacy,” Abdullah Jaballah, head of the opposition Justice and Development Party, said.
Jaballah made the remarks at a Tuesday conference held at the party’s headquarters in capital Algiers.
The event was attended by a host of opposition figures, including Mohamed Said Belaid, a former information minister; Al-Taher bin Yaish, secretary-general of the opposition Alfajr Aljadeed Party; Fateh Rebiai, a leading member of the Ennahda movement; and Fatihah bin Abbou, a constitutional law expert.
“All orders and decrees issued [by the presidency] are considered invalid, including [the president’s] recent appointment of a [caretaker] government,” Jaballah said.
On Monday, the embattled Bouteflika promised to step down before his fourth term officially expires later this month.
He also pledged to make "significant decisions" with a view to ensuring that state institutions continue to function during an anticipated “transitional phase”.
In February, the ruling National Liberation Front nominated the 82-year-old Bouteflika, who has ruled Algeria since 1999, to run for a fifth presidential term.
But on March 11, after weeks of protests against his planned bid for a fifth term, Bouteflika abruptly postponed the polls -- originally slated for April 18 -- and formally withdrew from the running.
Nevertheless, Algerians have continued to stage demonstrations against the aging leader, who they accuse of unconstitutionally extending his fourth term in office.