The constitutional Council of Algeria which oversees elections has announced that the scheduled Presidential elections on July 4 will not be held and stands postponed. The statement which did not mention any new dates for the elections said that the President has to announce a new date for the vote. In s statement, broadcast on state television, the constitutional council cited lack of candidates as the reason for cancelling the scheduled vote on July 4th.. Only two candidates had registered nominations and protesters had demanded the cancellations of the elections, fearing continuity of the control of the current regime.
Since April, after the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algeria has been rocked by public protests demanding regime change from the ruling elite. The interim president Mr Abdelkader Bensalah who replaced Mr Bouteflika could not win public confidence as he was seen as too close to the former leader. Mr Bouteflika himself was widely perceived as a puppet in the hands of a group of businessmen, politicians and military officials wielded the real power in the country. Demonstrators on the streets continued their protests in the capital Algiers, demanding the resignation of President Bensalah and the prime minister.
