Algerian protesters reject interim president as upper house chairman assumes post

Thousands of protesters rejected the Algerian parliament’s choice of an interim president on Tuesday after the resignation of Abdelaziz Bouteflika, demanding radical change. The appointment of upper house chairman Abdelkader Bensalah accords with Algeria’s constitution. According to it, Bensalah will remain interim president until new elections are held. However, many people oppose him because he is part of a ruling caste that has dominated Algeria since independence from France in 1962, Reuters said. On stepping down, Bouteflika promised that elections would be held after 90 days as part of a transition.