Algerian Prez starts consultations to form new cabinet

Algiers, June 27 Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune have started consultations ahead of the formation of a new cabinet, official media reported.

The APS news agency said Tebboune on Saturday received Abou el-Fadhl Baadji, general secretary of the National Liberation Front (FLN) in his office here.

Baadji headed a delegation of senior officials of the party, reports Xinhua news agency citing the APS as saying.

Later in the day, Tebboune received a delegation of independent candidates who become the second largest power at the lower house of the parliament.

The consultations aimed at discussing the political situation in Algeria in the light of the results of the parliamentary ballots, as to pave the way for forming a new government.

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad and members of his cabinet on June 24 presented their resignation to Tebboune in accordance with Article 113 of the Constitution.

Tebboune requested Djerad and his team to remain at office until a new government is formed.

Article 113 stipulates that the cabinet resigns after the final results of the parliamentary elections are confirmed by the Constitutional Court.

The resignation came after the announcement of the final results of the June 12 parliamentary elections by the Constitutional Court late on Wednesday.

The Constitution also stipulates in its article 103 that the government is headed by a Prime Minister when the legislative elections result in a pro-President majority, and by a Head of Government when the elections result in an opposition party majority.

Thr Constitutional Council announced that the National Liberation Front (FLN) grabbed 98 seats out of 407 seats at the lower House of Parliament, and the independent list candidates collected 84 seats, while the Islamist oriented Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) collected 65 seats, followed by the former ruling party of the National Democratic Rally (RND) with 58 seats.

The results has drawn a remarkable change in the political landscape in this North African nation, for it is the first time that independent candidates become the second power at Parliament since the introduction of multi-party system in 1989.