Algerian lawmakers unanimously pick unlikely candidate as speaker

ALGIERS, July 10 (KUNA) -- Algerian lawmakers in a sweeping majority vote, elected Slimane Chenine of the Movement of National Construction party as house speaker replacing Moad Bouchareb from the National Liberation Front (FLN) on Wednesday.
Chenine, who represents the opposition, won the race after all of his rivals pulled out, a week following the resignation of the former chief, Bouchareb.
In spite of occupying majority seats at the parliament, the FLN was one of the parties that backed the newly-elected speaker, saying it had "decided to contribute to the superior interest over the party's interest." Ongoing protests in the country since Abdelaziz Bouteflika quit as president in April after two decades in office, have been calling for democratic reforms and a government shift.
Since then, the military has become the main player in the country's politics.
The government has also postponed presidential elections previously scheduled for July 4 to replace interim president Abdelkader Bensaleh, who the protesters have called on to step down citing his affiliation to the old guard. (end) mr.sd