Will Belkhadem be an alternative to fourth term?

Rumors are spread ahead of Algeria’s presidential elections due to be held in April as it was alleged that the FLN’s former leader Abdelaziz Belkhadem withdrew an application form for the elections on Monday.

Belkhadem denied those allegations although his previous remarks showed that he had a strong intention to run for office.

This comes as sources said he received the forms but that does not mean he would enter the race for power.

Earlier last week, Belkhadem made a surprise by attending the FLN’s rally in Algiers. It has been his first political appearance since he was dismissed in late January 2013.

This comes as opponents of the FLN’s Secretary General Amar Saidani inside the party want to dismiss him and appoint Belkhadem once again.

The rumor raises questions about Belkhadem’s intention to run for office. He had repeatedly said he would be a candidate if Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika did not run for a fourth term.

People behind the rumor maybe Belkhadem’s partisans as they wanted to put pressure on President Bouteflika to break silence and announce his position toward the elections.   

Observers believe that a big division would take place among the FLN’s members if Belkhadem runs for office. Saidani warned the party’s members not to give their signatures to any other candidate but President Bouteflika.

“The FLN will have no other candidate if Bouteflika does not run for office,” said Saidani in a press conference.

According to the same sources, some members of the FLN will support their former leader and candidate Ali Benflis if Belkhadem runs for office.