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Algerian Parliament Elects Islamist Speaker Amid Efforts to Widen National
Dialogue

Edward Yeranian

   CAIRO - Algerian lawmakers have elected a reputedly moderate Islamist
   political figure as their new parliament speaker to replace the veteran
   ruling party loyalist, who recently stepped down. Slimane Chenine was
   elected amid friction between the military and parts of the opposition
   movement, as efforts intensify to widen national dialogue talks aimed
   at easing tensions and electing a new president.

   The new Algerian speaker of parliament, Slimane Chenine, received a
   round of applause from lawmakers after expressing his support for both
   the country's popular uprising and its armed forces.

   He said that at this critical juncture in the nation's history, he
   expresses his own support and that of all of his colleagues for
   Algeria's peaceful popular uprising, in addition to expressing support
   and pride for the nation's armed forces.

   Chenine, a fairly well-known Islamist politician, is the first person
   in the country's history to be elected parliament speaker without being
   a member of the ruling FLN (Front de liberation nationale) party.

   The FLN's secretary-general, Mohammed Jamaie, told a news conference
   that both he and his colleagues were willing to support someone from an
   opposition party in the interest of the country.

   He said that the FLN has its guiding principles, among the most and
   least important of us, and that all of the party members believe in
   putting the country above partisan interests, and important sounding
   titles.

   "All we care for, is the best interests of the country, its stability
   and its future," he said.

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