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Algeria’s 2019 Presidential Elections Clouded by Bouteflika’s Unclear Prospects

Algeiran President Abdelaziz Bouteflika during a swearing-in ceremony in Algiers April 28, 2014. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina/File Photo
Algeiran President Abdelaziz Bouteflika during a swearing-in ceremony in Algiers April 28, 2014. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina/File Photo
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Algeria’s 2019 Presidential Elections Clouded by Bouteflika’s Unclear Prospects

Algeiran President Abdelaziz Bouteflika during a swearing-in ceremony in Algiers April 28, 2014. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina/File Photo
Algeiran President Abdelaziz Bouteflika during a swearing-in ceremony in Algiers April 28, 2014. REUTERS/Ramzi Boudina/File Photo

Algeria’s media and the country’s political sphere, whether pro-government or opposition, have lately been focused on the upcoming 2019 presidential elections and the current President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's future in power.

Bouteflika stepping down from rule is a bet placed on his health condition taking an irretraceable course—the Tunisian president has a history of brain strokes that at times cost him control over most of his senses and placed him on a wheelchair.

Since then, the Algerian president has not been directly involved in public engagements and has missed his very own presidential campaign in 2014. Former Prime Minister Abdelmalek Salal took charge as Bouteflika’s campaign director.

It is worth noting that when performing the national oath, Bouteflika failed to read a full paragraph, leaving the impression that he would have great difficulty in fulfilling responsibilities during his fourth mandate.

And since his re-election Bouteflika, 80, has appeared rarely in public and usually only in state news images with visiting dignitaries, at times raising serious doubts on whether he will be able to finish his term.

But despite Bouteflika's shortcoming, four major parties in the “pro-government bloc” insist that the current president serves best the natural course of the country.

They argue that no one can lead Algeria in its coming stage but Bouteflika. The bloc comprises parties like National Liberation Front, headed by Bouteflika himself and the National Rally for Democracy, led by Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia.

“I do not think the president will disappoint citizens who called on him to end the nationwide construction, a process which he started in 1999. He will once again come through for Algeria,” National Liberation Front FLN secretary-general Djamel Ould Abbes told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Taking into consideration Bouteflika suffering painful health conditions, loyalists perceive his stay in power as a sacrifice on his behalf for both the sake of the country and settling “difficult security and economic conditions facing Algeria.”

“You asked me to carry on with the march even though you noticed that I was no longer able to lead, and I decided to bow before your wishes and come forth for Algeria, the country for which I sacrificed my youth,” Bouteflika had said in his speech on the eve of 2014 presidential elections.

If Bouteflika does not opt for a fifth stay in office, Algerian third-party observers expect that the same bloc would remain in power. The next coming president will likely be chosen from a score of candidates running for the election, such as PM Ahmed Ouyahia, former PM Abdelmalek Sellal and former Energy Minister Chakib Khelil.

Rumors spun around the Vice Minister of Defense Ahmed Gaid Salah becoming the head the Algerian government.

Salah has purportedly acknowledged a desire to replace Bouteflika.

He told his close associates, “It was done by Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt, why not me ?!"

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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
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Lavrov: Moscow Maintains Communication with Damascus, Will Not Withdraw from the Region

Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)
Syrian forces stop a car at a checkpoint after taking control of the port of Tartus earlier this month. (AFP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to the Middle East, stating that Moscow “has not and will not withdraw from the region.” He emphasized ongoing communication with Syria’s new leadership and expressed readiness to support the political process in the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, Lavrov attributed Syria’s deteriorating situation to the previous regime, blaming its unwillingness to implement reforms and share power with the opposition.

“The refusal of the former Syrian regime to make any changes or share power with the opposition was one of the primary reasons for its collapse,” he said.

Lavrov noted that over the past decade, since President Bashar al-Assad requested Russian intervention in the Syrian war and the launch of the Astana peace process, Damascus had delayed advancing the political path.

“Despite support from Arab nations, Syrian authorities showed reluctance to move forward politically and sought to maintain the status quo,” he explained.

He highlighted Russia’s repeated calls for the Syrian government to engage with the Constitutional Committee, established during the 2018 Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi, and to actively work on drafting a new constitution.

Lavrov also pointed to economic challenges exacerbated by sanctions, which have stifled Syria’s economy, and US control over oil-rich eastern regions. Resources were exploited to fuel separatist ambitions in northeastern Syria, he remarked.

Moreover, the FM revealed details of Moscow’s earlier discussions with Kurdish groups, reiterating his country’s position that Kurdish rights should be guaranteed within the constitutional frameworks of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Türkiye.

He argued that the previous Syrian regime’s reluctance to engage in political dialogue resulted in stalled reforms proposed by the United Nations, Moscow and Cairo platforms, and Istanbul-based opposition groups. This inaction, he said, created a vacuum that ultimately led to the collapse.

Furthermore, he dismissed claims that his country’s withdrawal from Syria would signal its departure from the Middle East.

“Russia has not and will not leave the region,” he declared. Without directly addressing the status of Russian military bases in Syria, Lavrov emphasized: “Our embassy never left Damascus, and we maintain ongoing communication with the authorities.”

He also stressed Russia’s willingness to facilitate inclusive dialogue involving all national, political and sectarian factions, as well as relevant international stakeholders. Lavrov underscored that recent discussions with Türkiye, Gulf nations, and other parties demonstrated widespread agreement that Russia and Iran must be involved in the Syrian peace process if sustainable results are to be achieved.

For his part, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Envoy to the Middle East and Africa, reaffirmed Russia’s focus on developments in Syria, describing relations with Damascus as a “priority of Russian foreign policy.”

Reports on Tuesday suggested that Bogdanov might soon lead a Russian delegation to Damascus. However, a Russian diplomatic source informed Asharq Al-Awsat that no date for the visit has been confirmed. The visit, which was reportedly postponed, would mark the first by a senior Russian official to Damascus since the fall of Assad’s regime in December.

Meanwhile, media reports indicated that Moscow is facing logistical challenges in withdrawing military equipment from Syria, due to restrictions imposed by Syrian authorities on the movement of Russian ships in territorial waters.

According to the English-language edition of RT, the Russian ship Sparta 2, designated to transport military equipment and weapons, was denied entry to the Port of Tartus, where Russia maintains its only overseas naval base.