A date has finally been set to elect Abdelaziz Bouteflika's successor. The Algerian presidential election will take place on December 12, the acting head of state, Abdelkader Bensalah, announced on Sunday (September 15th) in a speech to "the Nation", broadcast by public television.
The announced date coincides with the deadlines demanded by the chief of staff of the army, Ahmed Gaïd Salah, real strongman of the country since the forced resignation of the president Abdelaziz Bouteflika the 2 of April.
"I decided (...) that the date of the presidential election will be Thursday, December 12, 2019," said Abdelkader Bensalah who, according to the country's constitution, can not be a candidate.
"Process of renewal of the Nation"
The acting head of state, who signed Sunday the decree for the convening of the electoral body, called on Algerians "to contribute collectively (...) December 12, to the writing of the history of their country and the choice of their new president ".
He "urged" his compatriots to "mobilize to make this meeting the starting point of the process of renewal of the Nation".
The presidential election to elect a successor to Mr. Bouteflika, originally scheduled for July 4, had to be canceled, no candidate having declared, given the scale of the dispute that has shaken the country since February 22.
With AFP