Ailing Bouteflika an invisible frontrunner in Algerian poll

ALGIERS

With Algeria’s election campaign in full swing, ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is conspicuous by his absence but remains the firm favourite as high-profile allies criss-cross the country to make his controversial case.

The 77-year-old incumbent, who secured landslide victories in the three previous elections, is too sick to take to the campaign trail, barely leaving home after a minor stroke confined him to hospital in Paris for three months last year.

A frail-looking Bouteflika appeared on state television on March 3, his voice barely audible, to announce that he was seeking a fourth term despite concerns about his capacity to govern.

It was the first time he had spoken in public in two years. Since returning home from Paris, the president has chaired just two cabinet meetings and only rarely appeared in public.

PROTESTED BOUTEFLIKA'S CANDIDACY

In a very rare demonstration of its size, thousands of people took to the streets of Algiers last Friday, two days before the campaign opened, to call for a boycott of the April 17 election in protest at Bouteflika’s candidacy.

But despite sporadic expressions of political dissent and grave doubts about his ability to rule, the president defended his re-election bid in a written message to Algerians.

Abdelmalek Sellal, the former prime minister who stepped down to head Bouteflika’s campaign, ruled out any likelihood of the president taking to the hustings himself.

“I haven’t heard anyone speak of him taking part in a meeting. Maybe he will make a statement, that’s possible,” Sellal said in an interview with news website TSA.

Sellal and other Bouteflika allies have been unapologetic about the president’s inability to campaign on his own behalf.

“They continue to push the campaign of an invisible candidate without any shame,” said political analyst Rachid Tlemcani.

“It’s a comical campaign which deserves to be mentioned in the next edition of the world history of elections.”

In addition to Sellal, six other senior political figures have been drafted in to champion the president’s case on the campaign trail.

Fellow former premier Abdelaziz Belkhadem, who is now special adviser to the president, said Bouteflika “might need a bit of physical rehabilitation that would give him better mobility.”