In a written statement made by the Algerian Presidency, it was reported that former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika passed away at the age of 89, but no details were given on the subject.
Former President Bouteflika, who took office in 1999 after the civil war, continued to rule the country despite his partial paralysis and declining health in 2015.
It was stated that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune decided to mourn the death of Bouteflika. In the statement, it was announced that the flags across the country will be lowered at half-mast for three days from today.
Born in 1937 in the city of Oujda, on the Moroccan-Algerian border, Bouteflika played an active role as a politician in the struggle for independence against France.
Bouteflika, who became the Minister of Youth and Sports at the age of 25 in the first government established after Algeria’s independence in 1962, served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the period of former President Houari Boumediene between 1965 and 1978. During this period, he established a strong network of relations with other Arab countries. Bouteflika also assumed the post of President of the UN General Assembly for one year in 1974.
Although Bouteflika was seen as one of the most important heirs after Houari Boumediene’s death, Chadli Bendjedid won the power struggle in the country and became president.
Trying to return to the political scene through the National Liberation Front in the late 1980s, Bouteflika left the country again in the early 1990s due to conflicts within the government.
Bouteflika came to power in 1999, one year after his return to the country, by winning the elections in which six of his opponents withdrew. After coming to power, Bouteflika implemented the national reconciliation project to end the political and security crisis in the country and succeeded in ending the civil war in his country.
Bouteflika, who won consecutive presidential elections following these years, became a candidate for the fourth term in 2015 and won the elections, despite his partial paralysis and deteriorating health condition in 2013.
Bouteflika was forced to resign in the face of the Hirak demonstrations with wide participation and the verbal memorandum given to him by the army.
Bouteflika was confined to a wheelchair due to his health problems and partial paralysis during his time in power and did not appear in public for a long time.
