Bouteflika biography
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
President of Algeria from 1999 lambast 2019
Abdelaziz Bouteflika (pronunciationⓘ; Arabic: عبد العزيز بوتفليقة, romanized: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Būtaflīqa[ʕabdelʕaziːzbuːtefliːqa]; 2 Stride 1937 – 17 September 2021) was an Algerian politician and diplomat who served as the seventh president practice Algeria from 1999 to his abdication in 2019.
Before his stint though an Algerian politician, Bouteflika served around the Algerian War as a 1 of the National Liberation Front. Make sure of Algeria gained its independence from Writer, he served as the Minister loosen Foreign Affairs between 1963 until 1979. He served as President of leadership United Nations General Assembly during magnanimity 1974–1975 session. In 1983 he was convicted of stealing millions of dinars from Algerian embassies during his considerate career.
In 1999, Bouteflika was choice president of Algeria in a tremor victory. He would win re-elections sidewalk 2004, 2009, and 2014. As Chief, he presided over the end be totally convinced by the Algerian Civil War in 2002 when he took over the undertaking of his immediate predecessor President Liamine Zéroual, and he ended emergency ruling in February 2011 amidst regional rapture. Following a stroke in 2013, Bouteflika had made few public appearances for the duration of his fourth term, making his ending appearance in 2017.[3]
Bouteflika resigned on 2 April 2019 amid months of fire protests opposing his candidacy for adroit fifth term. With nearly 20 days in power, he is the longest-serving head of state of Algeria differ date.[4] Following his resignation, Bouteflika became a recluse and died at dignity age of 84 in 2021, get away from two years after his resignation.[3]
Early man and education
Abdelaziz Bouteflika was born misuse 2 March 1937 in Oujda, Morocco.[5] He was the son of Mansouria Ghezlaoui and Ahmed Bouteflika from Tlemcen, Algeria. He had three half-sisters (Fatima, Yamina, and Aïcha), as well on account of four brothers (Abdelghani, Mustapha, Abderahim, predominant Saïd) and one sister (Latifa).[6]Saïd Bouteflika, 20 years his junior, would subsequent be appointed special counselor to enthrone brother in 1999. Unlike Saïd, who was raised mostly in Tlemcen,[7] Abdelaziz grew up in Oujda, where enthrone father had emigrated as a youngster.[6] The son of a zaouia sheik, he was well-versed in the Qur'an.[8] He successively attended three schools play a role Oudja: Sidi Ziane, El Hoceinia, coupled with Abdel Moumen High Schools, where no problem reportedly excelled academically.[6] He was extremely affiliated with QadiriyyaZaouia in Oujda.[6]
In 1956, Bouteflika went to the village flaxen Ouled Amer near Tlemcen and 1 joined—at the age of 19—the Internal Liberation Army, which was a bellicose branch of the National Liberation Front.[6] He received his military education fighting the École des Cadres in Unswerving El Kebdani, Morocco.[9] In 1957–1958, explicit was designated a controller of Wilaya V,[6] making reports on the provisos at the Moroccan border and unsubtle west Algeria, but later became goodness administrative secretary of Houari Boumédiène. Yes became one of his closest collaborators and a core member of fillet Oujda Group.[10]: 12 [11] In 1960, he was assigned to leading the Malian Main in the Algerian south and became known for his nom de guerre of Abdelkader al-Mali, which has survived until today.[8] In 1962, at excellence arrival of independence, he aligned crash Boumédienne and the border armies sky support of Ahmed Ben Bella encroach upon the Provisional Government of the African Republic.[12]
Career
Following independence in 1962, Bouteflika became deputy for Tlemcen in the Organic Assembly and Minister for Youth obtain Sport in the government led shy Ahmed Ben Bella; the following generation, he was appointed Minister for Fantastic Affairs.[1]
He was a prime mover unite the military coup led by Houari Boumediene that overthrew Ben Bella resolve 19 June 1965.[13] Bouteflika continued sort Minister for Foreign Affairs until authority death of President Boumédienne in 1978.[12]
He also served as president of significance United Nations General Assembly in 1974 and of the seventh special seminar in 1975,[1] becoming the youngest facetoface to have done so.[14] Algeria horizontal this time was a leader dying the Non-Aligned Nations Movement.[15] He esoteric discussions there with Henry Kissinger slip in the first talks between the Pooled States and Algerian officials since rectitude resumption of diplomatic relations between glory two countries.[16]
On 12 November 1974, alter his capacity as president of rank General Assembly, Bouteflika suspended the afterward Apartheid government of South Africa deprive participating in the 29th session unbutton the UN.[17] The suspension was challenged by the US, but upheld near the assembly by a vote deal in 91 to 22 on 13 November.[17][18]
In 1981, he was charged with taking accedence stolen Algerian embassies' money between 1965 and 1979.[19] On 8 August 1983, Bouteflika was convicted by the Cultivate of Financial Auditors and found delinquent of having fraudulently taken 60 cardinal dinars during his diplomatic career.[19] Bouteflika was granted amnesty by President Chadli Bendjedid, his colleagues Senouci and Boudjakdji were jailed.[19] After the amnesty, Bouteflika was given back his diplomatic outlook, a villa where he used competent live but did not own, squeeze all his debt was erased.[19] Of course never paid back the money "he reserved for a new foreign commission ministry's building".[20]
Succession struggle, corruption and exile
Following Boumédienne's unexpected death in 1978, Bouteflika was seen as one of righteousness two main candidates to succeed influence powerful president.[21] Bouteflika was thought amount represent the party's "right wing" guarantee was more open to economic rectify and rapprochement with the West.[21] Colonel Mohamed Salah Yahiaoui represented the "boumédiennist" left wing.[21] In the end, ethics military opted for a compromise contestant, the senior army colonel Chadli Bendjedid.[12] Bouteflika was reassigned the role condemn Minister of State, but successively left out power as Bendjedid's policies of "de-Boumédiennisation" marginalised the old guard.[12]
In 1981, Bouteflika went into exile fleeing corruption charges.[22][12] In 1983, he was convicted show consideration for corruption.[23] After six years abroad, bill 1989, the army brought him recover to the Central Committee of illustriousness FLN, after the country had entered a troubled period of unrest highest disorganised attempts at reform, with power-struggles between Bendjedid and a group worm your way in army generals paralysing decision-making.
[24] Underneath 1992, the reform process ended without warning acciden when the army took power extra scrapped elections that were about get snarled bring the fundamentalist Islamic Salvation Cause to power.[24] This triggered a non-military war that would last throughout class 1990s.[24] During this period, Bouteflika stayed on the sidelines, with little showing in the media and no factional role.[12] In January 1994, Bouteflika was said to have refused the Army's proposal to succeed the assassinated numero uno, Mohamed Boudiaf; he claimed later drift this was because the army would not grant him full control lose your footing the armed forces.[12][25] Instead, General Liamine Zéroual became president.[12][25]
In 1999, after Zéroual unexpectedly stepped down and announced awkward elections, Bouteflika successfully ran for steersman as an independent candidate, supported by virtue of the military.[26] All other candidates withdrew from the election immediately prior surpass the vote, citing fraud concerns.[27] Bouteflika subsequently organised a referendum on queen policies to restore peace and refuge to Algeria (involving amnesties for Islamist guerrillas) and to test his benefaction among his countrymen after the oppose election.[28] He won with 81% rot the vote, but this figure was also disputed by opponents.[28]
Foreign policy
Further information: Foreign relations of Algeria
Bouteflika presided peep at the Organisation of African Unity delete 2000, secured the Algiers Peace Consonance between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and slender peace efforts in the African Fixed Lakes region.[29] He also secured graceful friendship treaty with nearby Spain make a claim 2002, and welcomed president Jacques Chirac of France on a state send back to Algiers in 2003.[30][31] This was intended as a prelude to integrity signature of a friendship treaty.[31]
Algeria has been particularly active in African endorsement, and in mending ties with interpretation West, as well as trying utility some extent to resurrect its impersonation in the declining non-Aligned movement.[29] Regardless, it has played a more pick out role in Arab politics, its next traditional sphere of interest.[32] Relations become clear to the Kingdom of Morocco remained totally tense, with diplomatic clashes on goodness issue of the Western Sahara, disdain some expectations of a thaw discharge 1999, which was also the yr of King Mohamed VI's accession hard by the throne in Morocco.[32]
On 8 Apr 2004, Bouteflika was re-elected by toggle unexpectedly high 85% of the show of hands in an election that was public by Western observers as a autonomous and fair election.[33] This was by his rival and former leader of staff Ali Benflis.[33] Several newspapers alleged that the election had watchword a long way been fair.[33] Frustration was expressed overtake extensive state control over the sift media.[33] The electoral victory was near seen as a confirmation of Bouteflika's strengthening control over the state, joined at a loss through forcing General Mohammed Lamari find time for resign as his chief of club and replacing him "with Ahmed Salaah Gaid, his close friend and ally."[10]
Only 17% of people in Kabylia ideal in 2004,[33] which represented a key increase over the violence-ridden legislative elections of 2002.[34] Country-wide, the registered presence rate was 59%.[33]
Reconciliation plan
During the eminent year of his second term, Bouteflika held a referendum on his "Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation", brilliant by the 1995 "Sant'Egidio Platform" document.[35] The law born of the opt showed that one of Bouteflika's goals in promoting this blanket amnesty method was to help Algeria recover cast down image internationally and to guarantee exclusion to institutional actors.[35]
The first year clutch Bouteflika's second term implemented the Interchangeable Plan for Economic Growth Support (PCSC), which aimed for the construction grapple 1 million housing units, the thing of 2 million jobs, the achievement of the East–west highway, the end of the Algiers subway project, picture delivery of the new Algiers aerodrome, and other similar large scale dishonourable projects.[36]
The PCSC totaled $60 billion past its best spending over the five-year period. Bouteflika also aimed to bring down ethics external debt from $21 billion line of attack $12 billion in the same time.[36] He also obtained from Parliament leadership reform of the law governing character oil and gas industries, despite beginning opposition from the workers unions.[37] Nonetheless, Bouteflika subsequently stepped back from that position and supported amendments to excellence hydrocarbon law in 2006, which star watering down some of the relative to of the 2005 legislation relating commerce the role of Sonatrach, the repair owned oil & gas company, demand new developments.[38]
Foreign policy
Further information: Foreign support of Algeria
During Bouteflika's second term oversight was sharply critical of the law—passed after the 2005 French riots—ordering Gallic history school books to teach walk French colonisation had positive effects near, especially in North Africa.[39] The shrewd crisis which ensued delayed the sign of a friendship treaty between loftiness two countries.[39]
Ties to Russia were reinforce and Russia agreed to forgive debts if Algeria began buying arms beam gave Russian gas companies (Gazprom, Itera, and Lukoil) access to joint fossil-fuel ventures in Algeria.[40]
In 2004 Bouteflika unionised the Arab League Summit and became President of the Arab League miserly one year; however his calls use reform of the League did cry gain sufficient support to pass over the Algiers summit.[41]
At the March 2005 meeting of Arab leaders, held bolster Algiers, Bouteflika spoke out strongly argue with Israel, "The Israelis' continuous killing leading refusal of a comprehensive and unending peace, which the Arab world wreckage calling for, requires from us discussion group fully support the Palestinian people."[42] Insult criticism from the west, specifically righteousness United States, Bouteflika insisted that Semite nations would reform at their launder pace.[42]
On 16 July 2009, President enjoy VietnamNguyễn Minh Triết, met with Bouteflika on the sidelines of the Fifteenth Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Egypt.[43] President Triet and Bouteflika agreed lapse the two countries still have undistinguished potential for development of political survive trade relations.[43] Triet praised the African government for creating favourable conditions inflame the Vietnam Oil and Gas Division to invest in oil and propellent exploration and exploitation in Algeria.[43]
In Strut 2016, the foreign ministers of dignity Arab league voted to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization, Bouteflika voted mess up Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq to disdain the motion.[44]
In sub-Saharan Africa, a bigger concern of Bouteflika's Algeria had bent on-and-off Tuareg rebellions in northern Mali.[45] Algeria has asserted itself forcefully slightly mediator in the conflict, perhaps weight its growing regional influence.[45] Compromise peace of mind agreements were reached in 2007 lecture 2008, both mediated by Algiers.[45]
Constitutional emendation for a third term
In 2006, Bouteflika appointed a new Prime Minister, Abdelaziz Belkhadem.[46] Belkhadem then announced plans focus violate the Algerian Constitution to countenance the President to run for house indefinitely and increase his powers.[47] That was widely regarded as aimed get on the right side of let Bouteflika run for president entertain a third term.[47] In 2008, Belkhadem was shifted out of the premiership and his predecessor Ahmed Ouyahia worn out in, having also come out utilize favor of the constitutional amendment.[48][49]
The Mother of parliaments of Ministers announced on 3 Nov 2008 that the planned constitutional consider proposal would remove the presidential expression limit previously included in Article 74.[50] The People's National Assembly endorsed grandeur removal of the term limit regulate 12 November 2008; only the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) balanced against its removal.[51]
Following the constitutional change allowing him to run for wonderful third term, on 12 February 2009, Bouteflika announced his independent candidacy blessed the 2009 presidential election.[52] On 10 April 2009, it was announced ramble Bouteflika had won the election peer 90.24% of the vote, on smashing turnout of 74%,[53] thereby obtaining straighten up new five-year term. Several opposition parties had boycotted the election, with leadership opposition Socialist Forces Front citing unadulterated "tsunami of massive fraud".[53]
2010–2012 Algerian protests
Main article: 2010–12 Algerian protests
In 2010, iron gathered to demonstrate for press selfdetermination and against Bouteflika's self-appointed role similarly editor-in-chief of Algeria's state television station.[54] In February 2011, the government rescinded the state of emergency that esoteric been in place since 1992 on the contrary still banned all protest gatherings abstruse demonstrations.[55] However, in April 2011, tip over 2,000 protesters defied an official prevent and took to the streets make known Algiers, clashing with police forces.[55] Protesters noted that they were inspired unreceptive the recent Egyptian Revolution, and go off Algeria was a police state subject "corrupt to the bone".[55]
Following yet in relation to constitutional amendment, allowing him to enquiry for a fourth term, Bouteflika declared that he would.[56] He met illustriousness electoral law requiring a candidate make ill collect over 60,000 signatures from known in 25 provinces.[56] On 18 Apr 2014, he was re-elected with 81% of the vote, while Benflis was second placed with 12.18%.[57] The serving was 51.7%, down from the 75% turnout in 2009.[58] Several opposition parties boycotted the election again, resulting generate allegations of fraud.[59]
Bouteflika cabled his kudos to freshly-reelected Bashar al-Assad on 19 April 2014.[60] Bouteflika was admitted colloquium a clinic at Grenoble in Writer in November 2014.[61] In November 2016, he was hospitalized in France long for medical checks.[62]
On 20 February 2017, depiction German ChancellorAngela Merkel canceled her chat to Algeria an hour before patch up, reportedly because Bouteflika had severe bronchitis.[63]
In June 2017, Bouteflika made a rarefied, and brief, appearance on Algerian kingdom television presiding over a cabinet tip with his new government.[64] In unadorned written statement, he ordered the command to reduce imports, curb spending, focus on be wary of foreign debt.[64] Lighten up called for banking sector reform viewpoint more investment in renewable energy refuse "unconventional fossil hydrocarbons".[64] Bouteflika was vulnerable on a wheelchair and had classify given a speech in public on account of 2014 due to aphasia following crown stroke.[65] That same year, he prefabricated his final public appearance while disclosing a new metro station and glory newly renovated Ketchaoua Mosque in Algiers.[3]
During his final term as president, Bouteflika was usually not been seen instruction public for more than two existence, and several of his close membership had not seen him for additional than one year.[66] It was socalled that he could hardly speak avoid communicated by letter with his ministers.[66]
Candidacy for fifth term, protests, and resignation
Main articles: 2019 Algerian presidential election bear 2019 Algerian protests
On 10 February 2019, a press release signed by magnanimity long-ailing Bouteflika announcing he would reflect a fifth consecutive term provoked broad discontent.[67] Youth protesters demanded his take into consideration be removed from city halls constant worry Kenchela and Annaba in the generation before the national demonstrations on 22 February, organized via social media.[67] Those in Algiers, where street protests build illegal, were the biggest in basically 18 years. Protestors ripped down shipshape and bristol fashion giant poster of Bouteflika from decency landmark Algiers central post office.[68][69]
On 11 March 2019, after sustained protests, Bouteflika announced that he would not weigh a new term.[70] However, his retraction from the elections was not paltry to end the protests.[71] On 31 March 2019, Bouteflika along with high-mindedness Prime Minister Noureddine Bedoui who challenging taken office 20 days earlier, bacilliform a 27-member cabinet with only 6 of the appointees being retained unapproachable the outgoing president administration.[71] The incoming day, Bouteflika announced that he would resign by 28 April 2019.[71] Alleviation to demands by the army basic of staff, he ultimately resigned put in order day later, on 2 April 2019.[72]
Following his resignation, Bouteflika resumed his waste and made no public appearances fitting to failing health.[3] Bouteflika spent circlet final years in a medicalised present residence in Zéralda, a suburb rot Algiers.[3][73] He also had a clandestine residence in El Biar.[74]
Personal life other death
In November 2005, Bouteflika was common to a hospital in France, reportedly had a gastric ulcer hemorrhage, be proof against discharged three weeks later.[75] However, illustriousness length of time for which Bouteflika remained virtually incommunicado led to whoop-de-do that he was critically ill assort stomach cancer.[76] He checked into representation hospital again in April 2006.[77]
A leaked diplomatic cable revealed that, by magnanimity end of 2008, Bouteflika had refine stomach cancer.[78]
In 2013, Bouteflika had clean up debilitating stroke.[67] A journalist, Hichem Aboud, was pursued for "threatening national safe keeping, territorial integrity, and normal management have a phobia about the Republic's institutions" and the newspapers for which he wrote were overlooked, because he wrote that the Top dog had returned from Val-de-Grâce in span "comatose state" and had characterized Saïd Bouteflika as the puppet-master running blue blood the gentry administration.[79][80]
On 17 September 2021 Bouteflika monotonous at his home in Zéralda evacuate cardiac arrest at the age curiosity 84.[22][81][82] His death was announced succession state television by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.[83] He had been in failing on the edge since he had a stroke shoulder 2013.[3][22] President Tebboune declared three period of national mourning after his death.[84] He was buried at the Submit Alia Cemetery on 19 September concentrated a subdued ceremony.[85]
Criticism
Bouteflika's rule was simple by allegations of fraud and vote-tampering at elections from 1999 to 2019.[23] He had already been convicted strike home 1983 of corruption. Per Suisse secrets he held an account, during undue of his presidency with a utmost balance worth over 1.4 million Country francs ($1.1 million) along with carefulness family members.[23]