Central African Republic's provisional parliament on Tuesday began the process of electing a new political leadership, days after the interim president was forced to resign, dpa reported. The 10-day negotiations are being led by National Transitional Council chairman Alexandre Ferdinand Nguendet, who signed a decree late on Sunday giving the country's 135 parliamentarians the authority to elect a new interim president. There has been a power vacuum in CAR since Friday, when Michel Djotodia and prime minister Nicolas Tiangaye stepped down, bowing to pressure from regional leaders. The country has been experiencing a humanitarian crisis since Djotodia's Seleka coalition rose up against the government in December 2012 and overthrew president Francois Bozize, in March. The nation, rich in gold and diamonds, is currently secured by 3,500 African Union peacekeepers and 1,600 French troops. Soldiers of CAR's army on Tuesday started returning to barracks.
