Algerian parliament elects Khalida Boufedeche its first woman speaker

Algeria's parliament elected its first ever woman speaker on Tuesday evening, making Khalida Boufedeche the fourth-highest ranking official in the country.

Boufedeche, an allergist by training who represents the capital Algiers, is a member of the National Liberation Front, the historic party of Algerian independence and allied with the current government.She had served in local politics before entering parliament.She assumes the speakership of a body where women are significantly underrepresented, holding just 25 seats, or six percent of the total.