Algeria: Ailing President appears on TV, but uncertainty persistsThe North Africa Journal – March 22, 2017- Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika reappeared in a brief video broadcast by national television, showing him meeting Maghreb and African affairs minister Abdelkader Messahel to discuss regional affairs. Rumors about the health of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika have resurfaced again after Spanish foreign minister Alfonso Dastis left Algiers without meeting with him. After the cancellation of the visits of the Iranian president and the German chancellor, many observers fear the worse may have happened to Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Furthermore, and perhaps more drastically, there are still no clear contenders for the succession of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The military remains very powerful in Algeria, despite the fact that the intelligence structure was attached to the presidency.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 22, 2017 15:11 UTC