Algeria president Bouteflika announces he will step down before end of his term

The 82-year-old president has been in public rarely since he suffered a stroke in 2013

(AP)

Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, says he will step down by 28 April after two decades in office.

This comes after weeks-long protests across the country saw millions of Algerians take to the streets to demand the president resign.

“President Bouteflika will tender his resignation before the end of his presidential mandate. Important decisions will be taken to ensure the functioning of state institutions during the transition period,” reported privately owned Ennahar TV, citing the presidency.

Under the constitution of the oil producing North African state, Abdelkader Bensalah, chairman of the upper house of parliament, would take over as caretaker president for 90 days until elections are held.

The announcement comes a day after the embattled president named a caretaker cabinet. Incumbent prime minister Noureddine Bedoui will head the administration, state news agency APS said, listing 27 ministers.

Wheelchair-bound Mr Bouteflika had previously postponed elections originally slated for 18 April, and vowed to hand power to a successor once a new constitution was written – but this would have extended his mandate until 2020.

The country’s powerful army chief of staff stepped in last week and called on the president to step down, saying Mr Bouteflika was “unfit for office”.

The 82-year-old president has been in public rarely since he suffered a stroke in 2013.