Speaker of Algeria’s People’s National Assembly Said Bouhadja slammed opposition demands for President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down over their claims that he is "physically incapacitated to perform his duties.” Speaking at an ordinary assembly session, he said that “a new Algeria has emerged, which is confirmed when compared to the Algeria of 20 years ago,” hinting to the period before Bouteflika came to power in 1999. He noted that this “new Algeria” is enough to provide irrefutable answers to anyone doubting or questioning the president. He was referring to opposition parties critical of Bouteflikas policies, especially on economic issues, namely the Islamist “Movement of the Society for Peace" and the liberal “Jil Jadid” parties. Bouhadja said that “the time of transition periods is over in Algeria, which sacrificed tens of thousands of martyrs to save the political institutions. He made his remarks in reference to parties calling for a “transition” period that paves the way for the post-Bouteflika phase. Democracy “is firmly established in our country and reaching power takes place within the dates stipulated in the constitution and through the will of the people, who are indisputable in their sovereignty," stressed the speaker. Bouhadja said of Bouteflika: “The nation and history attest that he dedicated all of his life to defend the freedom, dignity and sovereignty of the Algerian people.” He praised the president’s efforts to establish the Algerian Civil Concord Law in 2000, which granted amnesty to about 6,000 extremists, all of whom were reintegrated into the society after spending years in prison on terrorism charges.