Bouteflika may announce run for office in gathering

Bouteflika's Presidential Alliance parties are expected to organise a popular gathering in Algiers amid doubts that he would announce run for a third term.

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• The National Liberation Front (FLN), one of the parties has set up a cell in charge of dealing with the electoral campaign strategy led by former communication minister Abderrachid Boukerzaza.
• There were no reports on date of the meeting while President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is expected to sign the decree of summoning the electoral body on February 9-5th.
• Elections law in Algeria stipulates that the electoral body must be summoned 60 days before the vote.
• Earlier, Algerian interior minister Yazid Zerhouni announced that the presidential elections might be held on April 2-9th.
• Bouteflika, reaching the end of his second and final term changed the Constitution to put no limit for a president to be re-elected.
• His allies believe the new constitution would promote freedoms and democracy in Algeria while opposition says he uses it as a trick to stay in power.