France supports 'reasonable' transition period as anti-govt protests rise in Algeria

France's Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's decision to abandon his quest for a fifth term in power opened a new chapter in the country's history and called for a "reasonable duration" to the transition period.

Bouteflika late on Monday bowed to weeks of mass demonstrations against his 20-year rule but also postponed an election due in April, promising social and economic reforms in the former French colony.

Macron gave no details on what he considered a reasonable transition period.