Abdelmalek Sellal

Boutef is now expected to seek a more ‘secular' head of government possibly marking a comeback for former Premier (and presidential hopeful) Ahmed Ouyahia or another ‘moderniser' close to the army such as Water Resources Minister Abdelmalek Sellal...

Others in the President's inner circle include Agriculture Minister Saïd Barkat who has worked with Foreign Affairs Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem to win back the FLN; Culture and Communications Minister Khalida Messaoudi Toumi once a torchbearer of liberal values now a target for her former friends as a fierce campaigner for the Boutef way; and former Transport Minister Abdelmalek Sellal who left government to run Boutef's campaign...