Algeria: fourth term tears up presidential wing

Algerian interior minister Tayeb Belaiz Sunday said President Bouteflika did not withdraw application forms to run for office in the presidential elections due to be held in April 2014, in response to officials who said he will officially be a candidate.

“I did not receive any letter from His Excellency the President of the Republic about his intention to run for office,” Belaiz said at Parliament.

Earlier, Secretary General of Algeria’s National Liberation Front (FLN) Amar Saadani said President Bouteflika will officially be a candidate for the next elections.

This comes as it is said that signatures are collected for the president as he would run for office.

Yet, Belaiz’s remarks raises questions about the source of those information.

A number of candidates said they would pull out if President Bouteflika runs for a fourth term.

Algerian transport minister Amar Ghoul said his party “TAJ” officially started collecting signature for Bouteflika.

Algerian Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal said President Bouteflika still has time to decide whether to run for office or not as the law on elections says candidacy deadline is a month and a half before the voting day.