According to the official news agency APS, Abdelghani Zaâlane, Bouteflika’s new campaign director, submitted Bouteflika’s candidacy to the Constitutional Council. A few minutes before his candidacy submission was announced, Abdelaziz Bouteflika addressed a candidacy message to the Algerians where he pledged, if re-elected on April 18, not to complete his mandate and to withdraw at the end of an early presidential election. “I commit myself to the organization of an early presidential election”, the date of which will be decided by “an inclusive and independent national conference” to be held after the poll of April 18. “I pledge not to be a candidate for this (early) election”, said Bouteflika in the message read out by Abdelghani Zaâlane Sunday night before the media. And apparently his candidacy message was not convincing as new marches were staged Sunday night downtown Algiers and in many other cities where several hundred young people took to the streets.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 04, 2019 00:56 UTC