The secretary-general of Algeria’s ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) said on Friday that the constitutional reforms which the president has been discussing with senior officials will be announced next month, Anadolu has reported. Amar Saadani made his comments after a meeting with a delegation of officials from South Africa’s ruling ANC.
The Algerian presidency announced last Monday that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika had chaired a meeting with ministers and aides to discuss the reforms. No date was given for their introduction, nor were any details provided about how they would be announced. They could be set out either through a referendum or in parliament and subject to a vote.
“Our main demand from the constitutional reform,” Saadani said, “is to delegate to the largest party in parliament the right to lead the government.” He noted that current Prime Minister Abdul Malik Sallal is an independent figure.
Opposition groups have announced in advance that they will reject the reforms because they will have been prepared by the “ruling regime”.
Proposals for the reforms were issued for discussion in May last year. Of the 47 amendments, there are those which call for a maximum of two presidential terms per person, expansion of the prime minister’s powers, more rights to opposition parties to question government officials and further guarantees for the protection of freedoms and measures to fight corruption.