Algeria’s constitutional council has accepted the resignation of outgoing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika who handed in his letter on Tuesday, state TV reports.
Bouteflika had handed over his resignation letter personally to the head of the constitutional council, Tayeb Belaiz with Chairman of the upper house of parliament, Abdelkader Bensalah in attendance.
“I have taken this step because I am keen to put an end to the current bickering. I have taken the suitable measures needed for the continuity of the nation’s institutions during the interim period,” Bouteflika said in the letter.
The ailing president had initially announced he was standing down in a one-sentence statement carried by state news agency APS, followed by a letter – his primary means of communication since suffering a stroke in 2013 and disappearing from public view.
Bouteflika’s resignation will put Abdelkader Bensalah, chairman of the upper house of parliament, in charge as caretaker president for 90 days until elections are held.