عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Algeria's Goudjil Elected Speaker, Angering Hirak Movement

Algeria’s Speaker Salah Goudjil (AFP)
Algeria’s Speaker Salah Goudjil (AFP)
TT
TT

Algeria's Goudjil Elected Speaker, Angering Hirak Movement

Algeria’s Speaker Salah Goudjil (AFP)
Algeria’s Speaker Salah Goudjil (AFP)

The Algerian National Assembly named Salah Goudjil as speaker, which was met with a wave of criticism from Hirak activists who condemned President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's choice.

Observers said the designation contradicts the president’s positions, who pledged to "build a new Algeria" and encouraged young people to run in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Hirak activists expressed their anger after Goudjil’s nomination, saying it reflects negatively on the president's approach to establish a "new Algeria", in which young cadres are given the opportunity to run main state bodies, as pledged by Tebboune during his presidential campaign at the end of 2019.

In 2020, Goudjil was named interim president of the National Assembly succeeding Abdelkader Bensalah, who resigned for health reasons.

He was named as head of the parliament after some members of the council withdrew their nominations for the position indicating that the matter was already decided by the presidency.

Goudjil belongs to the “presidential quota” in the National Assembly, which is a group of 47 parliamentarians chosen by Tebboune to support policies and bills introduced by the government.

He has benefited from the strong support of the National Liberation Front and Democratic National Rally, the two pillars of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's regime.

Goudjil, 90, is a veteran of Algeria's revolution for independence and assumed a ministerial position at the end of the 1970s.

He is also considered one of the symbols of the former National Liberation Front. Hirak called for dissolving the Front accusing it of corruption in the country.

The judiciary has imprisoned two secretaries-general of the Liberation Front, in addition to several of its parliamentarians and ministers, on corruption charges, including paying bribes during the 2017 elections.

Goudjil described the upcoming legislative and local elections as an “important milestone," emphasizing that true democracy provides Algeria with immunity to face all the challenges.

“Algeria has set an example to be followed in democracy in defiance of its enemies at home and abroad.”

Last week, Tebboune said he would launch arrangements for establishing a "Higher Council for Youth", which was introduced by the new constitution.

He also said that the state will cover the expenses of electoral campaigns of young candidates for the parliamentary elections, after announcing the dissolution of parliament.

Most Viewed

 
 
Arab World

Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
TT
TT

Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is advocating the formation of a government of “consensus” that includes representatives from all political factions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has requested that parliamentary blocs submit non-partisan nominees for ministerial positions, emphasizing that they must not belong to any political party.

Aoun stressed on Tuesday that all components of society have the right to be represented in the government, parliament and public administration, as this is already practiced in the army.

“We have significant opportunities that we hope to seize by uniting all elements of Lebanese society—civil, spiritual, and political. Together, we can rebuild our nation,” he declared.

Highlighting the importance of meeting international expectations, Aoun hoped for the rapid formation of a government to achieve political, economic, and security stability, which would allow citizens “to live with dignity, not merely in relative comfort.”

During meetings with professional delegations at the Presidential Palace, Aoun said: “We are at a crossroads. Either we take advantage of the current circumstances and rise above sectarian, religious, and political divisions, or we head in a different direction and bear full responsibility for failing to fulfill our duties.”

Negotiations between Aoun, Salam, and political factions over the formation of a government are ongoing. The discussions, which kicked off last week, have reportedly made progress, with efforts directed toward expediting the government formation process, issuing decrees, preparing a ministerial statement, and securing its vote of confidence from lawmakers.

While the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement appear to have finalized their proposed nominees for the government, disagreements over the ministerial statement remain.

MP Waddah Sadek, who is backed by the opposition, firmly rejected the inclusion of the “Army, People, Resistance” term in the statement. He declared: “No ‘blocking third’ in the government, and no unconstitutional gimmicks. The slogan of the new phase in Lebanon should be: the ‘Army, People, and State.’”

The Kataeb Party echoed this stance, stressing that Lebanon, emerging from a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, must align with the Aoun’s inaugural speech and Salam’s remarks by ensuring the ministerial statement exclusively underscores the state’s monopoly over arms and the defense of the nation.

“The government must act decisively, dismantle militias, strictly enforce the ceasefire, and uphold its provisions across all Lebanese territory,” it demanded.

The Kataeb Party also urged Aoun and Salam to resist the “great extortion” by Hezbollah and Amal to secure specific ministries or positions, in violation of the inaugural speech, calling instead for the application of uniform standards to ensure the government’s success.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah adopted a more confrontational tone.

MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, commented: “To those betting on Hezbollah’s weakness or the weakness of the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, what will you say when the government is formed? What will you say when you realize the strength of Hezbollah, the alliance, and the resistance’s supporters across all segments of Lebanese society? What will you say when you see the unwavering determination and unity of the resistance at every critical juncture?”