Belkhadem: if Bouteflika runs for a fourth term as president, he will be FLN’s candidate

Secretary General of FLN party Abdelaziz Belkhadem said he will run for office in 2014’s presidential elections, he will not be a candidate.

Results achieved by FLN in local elections show that the party kept its promises as it dominated 1,000 municipalities, said Belkhadem.

He added that FLN won the first place in terms of voices, seats and municipalities of absolute majority. “They are satisfying results and a message for those who were waiting for my defeat,” he said in response to his opponents.

The party had absolute majority in 159 municipalities and relative majority estimated at about 40 percent in 332 municipalities. In 170 municipalities, FLN had the same number of voices as other parties while it topped the list in 323 municipalities but did not reach legal rate for mayors.

Speaking about provincial assemblies, Belkhadem said the party had majority in two assemblies: Algiers and Sidi Belabbes (west of Algiers). FLN occupied the first place in 43 assemblies. “The FLN is the only party which reached absolute majority in municipal and provincial assemblies together,” he said.

He added that the FLN’s political bureau will meet on Saturday to decide in alliances issue. “The party will give freedom of choice to elected candidates to choose their allies. Alliances in provincial assemblies will be only with big parties such as RND and FFS.”

Belkhadem also said Bouteflika is the FLN’s president and if he runs for office in 2014’s presidential elections, the party will not present any candidate.