Algerian president steps down after weeks of protests

Algeria's President AbdelazizBouteflika has submitted his resignation, state news agency APSsaid on Tuesday, following weeks of mass protests against hisrule.

The ailing 82-year-old leader stood down shortly after thearmy chief of staff demanded immediate action to remove him fromoffice.

"There is no more room to waste time," state news agency APSquoted Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaed Salah as saying.

On Monday, Bouteflika, who was in power for 20 years, hadsaid he would quit before the end of his term on April 28.

But a protest leader and opposition parties rejected this as insufficient, while hundreds of students marched through thecapital Algiers to demand to replacement of a political systemwidely seen as incapable of significant reform.

Demands for overhaul of political system

Bouteflika had rarely been seen in public since he suffered astroke in 2013.

After his resignation, hundreds of Algerians took to the streets of the capitalwaving Algerian flags or drivingin convoys through the city centre, where on Feb. 22 massprotests broke out.

"Allahu Akbar (God is Great)," shouted a man. Someone elseheld up a banner saying: "Game over."

Pressure had been building during the day with oppositiongroups demanding Bouteflika go immediately, while hundreds ofstudents marched through the capital Algiers to demand thereplacement of a political system widely seen as incapable ofsignificant reform.

"Bouteflika's decision (to resign by the end of his term)will change nothing," Mustapha Bouchachi, a lawyer and protestleader, told Reuters earlier on Tuesday.

Bouteflika's resignation will put Abdelkader Bensalah,chairman of the upper house of parliament, in charge ascaretaker president for 90 days until elections are held.

Bouchachi had suggested Bouteflika's nomination of acaretaker government was a move to perpetuate the current political system.

'Peaceful protests will continue'

"What is important to us is that we do not accept the (newcaretaker) government. Peaceful protests will continue."

A veteran of Algeria's war for independence, Bouteflika wasfirst elected president in 1999 and established himself byending a civil war with Islamist militants that killed anestimated 200,000 people.

But the country remains mired in corruption and, in a signthat the end for Bouteflika's rule had been approaching, severaloligarchs close to his camp were banned from traveling abroadin the past few days, part of a crackdown against his allies.

"The gang has made big money illegally taking advantage ofits closeness with decision-makers," Salah said, according toAPS, referring to unnamed business people.

The protests have been driven by the country's youth andlawyers demanding the removal of a ruling elite seen by many asout of touch with ordinary Algerians and presiding over aneconomy riven by cronyism.