Pro-Bouteflika Parties Criticized Over Demanding Referendum

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (seated) holds his ballot during the presidential election in Algiers April 17, 2014. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (seated) holds his ballot during the presidential election in Algiers April 17, 2014. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
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Pro-Bouteflika Parties Criticized Over Demanding Referendum

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (seated) holds his ballot during the presidential election in Algiers April 17, 2014. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra
Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (seated) holds his ballot during the presidential election in Algiers April 17, 2014. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

The Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) – an opposition party in Algeria, has expressed frustration over pro-former Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika parties calling for a referendum on amending the constitution.

Minister of Communication Ammar Belhimer, for his part, convened with official media to discuss the promotion plan for the constitution draft that will be submitted to a referendum in weeks.

Abdul Razzaq Muqri, the Head of the MSP, criticized Sunday pro-Bouteflika parties expressing support to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, saying that the quota system in the parliament has disrupted political work.

in addition, he noted that the figures and loyalists of Bouteflika were returning to the political scene in the country.

Muqri was hinting at a meeting that was held by a leader from the Democratic National Alliance and attended by several activists who were urging Bouteflika to run for a fifth candidacy. During the meeting, the constitution bill was discussed in addition to the promotion plan and the mobilization of university students, women, and farmers.

Notably, the Assembly was led by former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia who was sentenced 15 years in prison for corruption. A month ago, Tayeb Zitouni who showed support to Tebboune’s policies became in charge.

In a related context, the Minister of Communication met on Saturday directors of the government newspapers to provide them with a thorough explanation of the key axes of the constitution amendment bill.

Belhimer affirmed that the ministry’s role in publicity was restricted to providing logistics.



Barrack ‘Satisfied' with Lebanon Reply to US Roadmap to Disarm Hezbollah

A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on July 7, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) meeting with US envoy Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on July 7, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) meeting with US envoy Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
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Barrack ‘Satisfied' with Lebanon Reply to US Roadmap to Disarm Hezbollah

A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on July 7, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) meeting with US envoy Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)
A handout photo released by the Lebanese Presidency press office on July 7, 2025 shows Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) meeting with US envoy Thomas Barrack at the presidential palace of Baabda east of Beirut. (Photo by Lebanese Presidency / AFP)

US envoy Thomas Barrack said on Monday that he was "unbelievably satisfied" with the Lebanese government's reply to an American proposal on how to disarm Hezbollah.

"What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time. I'm unbelievably satisfied with the response," Barrack told reporters after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace, without giving details of the response.

Aoun's team gave Barrack a seven-page reply to his June 19 proposal.

Hezbollah emerged badly damaged from a war with Israel last year that eliminated much of the group's leadership, killed thousands of its fighters and left tens of thousands of its supporters displaced from their destroyed homes.

The group has been under pressure in recent months both within Lebanon and from Washington to completely relinquish its weapons.

Barrack's proposal would see Hezbollah fully disarmed within four months in exchange for the withdrawal of Israeli troops occupying several posts in south Lebanon and a halt to Israeli airstrikes.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem reiterated Sunday the group’s refusal to lay down its weapons before Israel withdraws from all of southern Lebanon and stops its airstrikes.

Hezbollah has already relinquished a number of weapons depots in southern Lebanon to the Lebanese army in line with a US-brokered truce that ended last year's war.

The truce also stipulates that Israeli troops withdraw. Hezbollah has pointed to the troops' continued occupation of at least five posts in southern Lebanon as a main violation.

“How can you expect us not to stand firm while the Israeli enemy continues its aggression, continues to occupy the five points, and continues to enter our territories and kill?” Qassem said in a video address on Sunday. “We will not be part of legitimizing the occupation in Lebanon and the region. We will not accept normalization (with Israel).”