Algerian President, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has declared his intention to run for a “shorter” fifth term in office, after 20 years in power. He announced this amid widespread protests against him ahead of the country’s presidential election scheduled for April 2019.
In a statement read out by Bouteflika’s campaign manager, Abdelghani Zaalane, the 82-year-old president, who has not been actively in office since he suffered a stroke in 2013, stated that if re-elected to serve a fifth term, he would only serve for one year, organising an early election as soon as the one year duration lapses.
His announcement comes after a 10-day protest in the country where protesters held up placards asking for the president to refrain from submitting election papers for the April 18 polls, and exit office at the end of his term this year.
According to reports, seven protesters and 50 officers were injured during the protest, with over 45 arrested. This is the first protest in the country of the sort since 2011.
While Bouteflika’s comment were intended to douse the ongoing chaos and allow the ailing president leave on his own terms, it seemed to incite more protests as youths took the streets to protest peacefully.
Before announcing his intention to run, the Algerian electoral commission announced that all candidates running for presidency were to submit their bids in person, which should have disqualified Bouteflika who was unable to do so.
Among the candidates set to go against Bouteflika, are retired general, Ali Ghediri, and car mechanic, Rachid Nekkaz. The Labor party and the Islamist Movement of Society for Peace have, however, refused to participate in the election.
Allegations of internet shutdowns have also been made following the outbreak of protests in the North African country.
Bouteflika came into power in 1999, ending the civil war which took approximately 100,000 lives in Algeria.
He won his re-election despite his stroke in 2014 without doing a personal campaign, in a poll denounced by opposition parties and ended up dissolving the country’s spy agency, to constitute a body loyal to him.
This statement happens to be his first since the protest broke in Algeria. He is allegedly still receiving treatment in Switzerland.
