Continental Focus, International Reach

Bouteflika Takes Himself off Ballot

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

For the first time since 1999, Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s name will not be on the ballot for Algeria’s presidential elections. The president’s office announced that he would not be seeking re-election in April.

The news follows weeks of protests by Algerians who, upon hearing the latest news began to celebrate in the streets.

Bouteflika, who has been ailing and in ill health for many years, told the national news agency APS that the April elections would be postponed but he did not set a new date.

The elections would follow a national conference on political and constitutional reform to be completed by the end of 2019.

The presidency said there would be a government reshuffle and Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia announced his resignation.


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