Algeria presidential elections: Bouteflika and “opponents” must submit applications within 45 days

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Friday signed a decree to announce official start of electoral campaign for the presidential elections due to be held on April 17th.

Earlier in last spring, President Bouteflika had a health trouble and stayed at Val de Grace hospital in Paris for 80 days.

Candidates have 45 days to submit their applications while the electoral campaign will start 25 days before the vote date and finish 3 days before it.

Candidates should submit a list of 600 signatures of elected people in municipalities, provinces or Parliament in 25 provinces at least. Otherwise, they can collect 60,000 signatures in 25 provinces at least of Algerian people who are eligible to cast ballots. The number of signatures must not be less than 1,500 in each province. The Constitutional Council will decide in the applications as from candidacy declaration submission.

A national commission in charge of preparing for the presidential elections is due to be set up and led by the Prime Minister upon instruction from the president. It would include representatives of all the sectors concerned by elections such as the interior, justice, finance and communication ministries.

Bouteflika has not announced yet whether he would run for a fourth term or not.

Former head of government Ali Benflis said he be a candidate for the elections either the president runs for office or not. He is expected to announce that officially on Sunday at Hilton hotel in Algiers. Moussa Touati, leader of the Algerian National Front, Louisa Hanoun, Secretary General of Workers’ Party and Rachid Nekkaz have already said they will run for office.