Nevertheless, the 81-year-old leader is being urged by his party supporters to seek a fifth term in office. “The last word remains with him, of course,” Ould Abbas was quoted by news site AFP. The party of the president and its coalition ally, Rally for National Democracy (RND) won a clear majority in parliamentary elections last year. The election was however greeted with a disappointing turnout amidst uncertainty over the health of the president and the above concerns. Ahead of the 2019 general election, no other presidential candidates have emerged as they are holding on to see whether Bouteflika will run.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 08, 2018 10:07 UTC