Algeria: FLN party chooses Saidani as its new leader

Members of the FLN’s Central Committee Thursday chose former speaker of the People’s National Assembly Ammar Saidani as the party’s new Secretary General to replace Abdelaziz Belkhadem who was ousted, seven months ago.

Until 10 am on Thursday, the Committee’s members who replied Ahmed Boumahdi’s call to hold a session at Al-Aurassi hotel could not enter the conference room as they did not have permission from the Algerian interior ministry. Meanwhile, lawyers of Boumahdi’s wing were continuing their legal battle at the Council of the State following their appeal to ban the first permission.

The shortest session ever

Following the decision of the Council of the State to reject granting permission to Boumahdi’s wing, a new permission was delivered from the interior ministry. The conference room was opened at about 10:20 am and the proceedings of the shortest session ever of the Central Committee session since Algeria’s independence started.

The proceedings were ended at around 11:15 am in presence of 264 members and absence of 15 without excuse.

Maazouzi sheds tears

An 18-member-candidacy commission led by Said Bedaida was set up for the position of Secretary General. As soon as its senator member Madani Houd announced the name of Saidani, another member named Mustapha Maazouzi who ran for the position took the floor and announced his withdrawal from the race.

He shed tears and said he made that decision to “preserve unity and serve the country.”

Because of that, Saidani was the only candidate and was chosen as the FLN’s new leader.