Algeria’s powerful army chief has retained his post in a newly named government, despite his call to have the ailing president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, declared unfit for office. Algerian national television announced Sunday night that Mr. Bouteflika and Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui named a new government after weeks of mass protests and political tensions in the North African country. The new government notably keeps Gen. Ahmed Gaïd Salah as the army chief of staff and vice defense minister. General Gaïd Salah shocked the nation with his call last week for the Constitutional Council to set in motion a process to end Mr. Bouteflika’s 20-year presidency. Critics accused the army chief of trying to orchestrate a coup, and he suggested Saturday that unnamed figures were plotting against him as a result of his stand against Mr. Bouteflika’s presidency.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 31, 2019 21:00 UTC