Director General of Algeria’s National Democratic Rally Ahmed Oyahia stressed that the decision to appoint the prime minister is guaranteed to President Abdel Aziz Boutaflika, raising a state of skepticism over the current contacts conducted by Prime Minister Abdel Malek Salal to call the political parties to join the coming government.
The Algerian politician said that the Algerian president is the only person constitutionally empowered to appoint the prime minister. Meanwhile, Minister of Information Ahmed Qareen said that what is published over a ministerial reshuffle are only speculations. He added, “The truth exists only with the President of the Republic, and he alone has the decision in this matter.”
He added, “The change of government, the timing of change, and the issue of the inclusion of other parties to the government, are all the powers of the Algerian President, and no one is authorized to talk on this subject.”
Algerian Prime Minister Abdel Malek Salal held talks with political parties in order to join the new government, and informed the leaders of the parties he met that he was commissioned by the President to do this job, while the Presidency did not issue any official statement confirming the assignment of Salal to do this role.
Among the parties that have received calls from the prime minister to join the government are Amal Rally, led by former minister Ammar Gul and the Algerian People's Movement, led by former Minister of Commerce Ammar Ben Younes, in addition to Community of Peace, political arm of Muslim Brotherhood in Algeria.
A number of prominent leaders of Algeria’s Community of Peace, political arm of Muslim Brotherhood, expressed their refusal to the offer of President Abdel Aziz Boutaflika to join the government scheduled to be formed during the coming days.
The movement’s Chairperson Abdel Aziz Maqree strongly criticized the other wing calling for joining the government, describing them as opportunistic. He said that they want to join the government to achieve personal gains at the expense of the interests of their party or the Algerian people. He stressed that opportunistic people turn to support the corrupt regimes to achieve gains at the expense of the interests of people.
A state of controversy has been raised inside the Algerian community over whether Muslim Brotherhood will participate in the government or not, as Algerian Community of Peace, political arm of Muslim Brotherhood, received an offer from Algerian presidency to join the government.