He ruled the country for 20 years, between 1999 and 2019.
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, former president of Algeria, died at the age of 84, state television reported on Friday (September 17). A scrolling banner mentioned the “death of former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika”, citing a statement from the Presidency of the Republic. He Died in “22 hours (23 hours in France) in your place of residence “, according to the private channel El Hayet TV.
More than 35 years after his first ministerial position, Bouteflika became Algeria’s chief in 1999, crowned with the image of a savior in a country torn apart by civil war. Twenty years later, he had been dismissed without consideration by the army, a pillar of the regime, under the pressure of an unprecedented protest movement. His downfall became inevitable after weeks of massive protests against his desire to run for a fifth term of five years. Upon resigning, he appeared on television for the last time to announce that he was throwing in the towel.
He had last been officially spoken to when his brother Nacer voted by proxy on his behalf in the December 12, 2019 presidential election, which allowed for the election of his successor, President Abdelamadjid Tebboune. Abdelaziz Bouteflika was holed up in his retirement home in Zeralda, west of Algiers. He didn’t show any more signs of life.