The office of the Algerian President says Abdelaziz Bouteflika will resign before his fourth term expires on April 28.
According to the statement released, the the president will take steps to ensure state institutions continue to function during the transition period.
Millions of Algerians have been holding weekly protests nationwide calling for the 82-year-old to step down after almost 20 years in office. He has rarely been seen in public since he suffered a stroke in 2013.
He had initially declared his candidacy for a fifth term, but on March 11 withdrew and postponed the election – originally slated for April 18 – in response to the massive protests.
The move comes after Algeria’s powerful army chief proposed launching a constitutional procedure to have Bouteflika declared unfit for office. That proposal prompted tensions between the army and the president’s inner circle.
The Constitutional Council had been meeting to consider whether he can be removed from office because he is unfit to assume his duties.