Sharjah24 – AFP: Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Saturday began consultations on the formation of a new government, his office said, after a parliamentary election marred by record-low turnout.
The country's incumbent National Liberation Front (FLN) won the most seats in the June 12 vote that saw a just 23 percent voter participation.
Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad on Thursday presented his government's resignation to Tebboune, who asked him to continue handling current affairs.
"In the context of broad political consultations to form a government, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received (on Saturday) the secretary-general of the National Liberation Front, Abou El Fadhl Baadji, and members of the political bureau," a presidency statement said.
Baadji said after the meeting that Tebboune had offered the FLN a place in the new government, adding it was "logical" that most of the ministerial portfolios should go to his party.
The presidency statement said that Tebboune "also received a delegation representing independents, led by Abdelwahab Ait Menguelet," the mayor of Tizi Ouzou in the country's traditionally restive Kabylie region, where turnout was less than one percent.
Since their election, most "independents" have pledged allegiance to Tebboune.
Consultations are scheduled to continue until Wednesday.
The low national turnout has been seen as a sign of Algerians' disillusionment with and defiance of a political class deemed to have lost much of its credibility.
Algeria's long-running Hirak pro-democracy protest movement boycotted the polls.
For an optimal experience, please
