Former president Chadli Benjedid in critical health condition

The former Algerian president Chadli Bendjedid has been evacuated to the military hospital “ Ain Naadja” here in Algiers, and put at the intensive care unit following a serious hart attack, unchecked news have revealed the day before yesterday.

Chadli Benjedid ( 83) was suffering from kidneys’ failure and prostate recently. All attempts made by Echourouk to contact his family members were fruitless amid great secrecy surrounding the issue.

The sudden deterioration of the third Algerian president since the independence of the country coincides with the 24 anniversary of the youth revolution of October 1988, who reshaped the political and social life of Algeria and a month before the release of his memoirs slated for the 58 anniversary of the outbreak of the Algerian revolution in November 1t, 1954.

The former president came into office in 1979 after the death of Houari Boumedienne in December 1978 and initiated a series of political an economic reforms, that some considered, as a “coup” against his predecessor.

The second oil crash at the end of the 1980s, brought to surface the internal conflicts between the backers of Chadli’s economic policy and their opponents from the old guard of the deceased president Houari Boumedienne.

Chadli Benjedid has conducted a series of economic reforms giving up the old socialist model to turn to the liberal one following his “historical” visit to France paving the way for the normalization of the bilateral ties between the two countries after the boycott of the late president Houari Boumedienne.

A period of economic and financial crisis has spread chaos in the country and turned to a
“ Revolution” in October That some billed as “ bread uprising “ and others as
” wind of change”. This revolution tore down the single party system and gave birth to multiparty one that led to the writing of the new constitution of 1989.

Algeria entered a new era with the emergence of 60 political parties and the organization of the first pluralist local and legislative elections stopped by the military in 1992 after the victory of the Islamic party ( FIS). The troubles that swept through the country then forced the Benjedid to resign in January 11, of the same year.