Government of Algeria lays out draft constitutional reforms with term limits

On Tuesday, the government of Algeria released a new draft constitution that would limit the future presidents to two terms and recognizing the head of the state to consult on naming prime minsters. The amendment also pushes Amazigh to be the official language of the government.

Published in a state media, Algeria's new constitution is part of a reform promised by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and his government after the Arab Spring uprising in neighboring countries back in 2011. The change would require a parliamentary majority to name a prime minister and there's a need to recognize the language used by Berber minorities as official.

The official language of the Algeria is called Amazigh or Tamazight, and it is included in the draft in a move hailed by activists who wanted recognition for years now. It stresses that Arabic would remain the official government language and that it should not be tainted by any foreign text.

Re-elected in April 2014, President Bouteflika promised the public a number of changes or amendments in the government. The amendments was guaranteed to solidify democracy in the energy-rich North African state. Since its independence from France in 1962, the state has been mostly governed by the ruling of Algeria's army and nationalist group, the Front de libération nationale (FLN).

The government's detractors have said that despite the elections, the politics in Algeria still remains dominated by opaque negotiations between army generals and FLN elite who compete for power and influence. This leaves the opposition parties with little power to exercise authority and start government projects.

Cabinet director Ahmed Ouyahia have presented to the reporters the new reforms and it's expected to be submitted to parliament for approval this month. The cabinet director said that about 70% of those amendments reflects collective proposals from parties who took part. Number of analysts say that the amendments may also aimed at facilitating a stable transition of power if Bouteflika decides to step down from the presidency.

It has been known that after the dramatic collapse of world oil, Algeria's government faced severe economic challenges. The authorities cut down national budget spending due to economic crisis, and every citizen is hopeful that this new draft constitution will bring about progress in Algeria.

Tags

Algeria, ahmed ouyahia, amazigh, tamazight, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, algeria government, algeria constitutional reforms, President Bouteflika, Front de libération nationale

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