Hundreds of thousands of people in Algeria protested against the interim government on Friday, days after the head of the Algeria's Constitutional Council stepped down in the face of street pressure.

Demonstrators shouted slogans in the capital, Algiers, including "Down with the system!" and "You ate the country, you bunch of thieves!" Many called on interim President Abdelkader Bensalah and interim Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui to quit their posts.

Major rallies also took place in other cities, including Oran, Constantine and Annaba, state media and local journalists reported.

The rallies marked the ninth week of protests in a row and the first since Tayeb Belaiz resigned on Tuesday as head of the Constitutional Council, a body charged with regulating elections.

Bouteflika regime remains

Benslah, Bedoui and Belaiz are closely associated with the government of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who earlier this month quit after 20 years in office.

Many demonstrators also see Kamel Feniche, a former prosecutor who replaced Belaiz as Constitutional Council chief, as a regime loyalist.

Demonstrators have also voiced discontent with General Ahmed Gaid Salah, the military's influential chief of staff,in recent weeks.

The army leader on Tuesday asked for patience with the political transition ahead of the July 4 presidential election to determine Bouteflika's successor.

amp/kl (AP, Reuters)

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