A meeting of the Algerian opposition and ambiguity surrounding Bouteflika's candidacy

The Algerian opposition meeting is being held at the headquarters of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the capital, with the arrival of heavyweight figures such as Mujahid Lakhdar Bourqa'a and jurists Mustapha Bouachashi, while uncertainty surrounds the fate of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's candidacy for a fifth term.

The list of invitees to the opposition meeting included names such as former prime minister Ahmed Ben Bitour, head of the party of the primacy of freedoms Ali Benflis, the head of the Movement for the Society of Peace (Homs) Abdul Razzaq Makri, as well as representatives of the Labor and Renaissance parties and the Socialist Forces Front and the Rally for Culture And democracy.

Rachid Nqaz and Ghani Mahdi were also invited to the meeting, and the meeting was expected to be announced by announcing the position of the opposition regarding the entry of a joint candidate on April 18.

Mysterious fate
This comes at a time when uncertainty surrounds the fate of Bouteflika's candidacy for a fifth term, with the closing of the door for candidacy, and the emergence of unconfirmed reports of the deterioration of his health.

On 24 February, President Bouteflika flew to Geneva for 48 hours for regular medical examinations, according to a previous presidential statement.

The president in Switzerland has not yet announced his return to the country before the legal deadline for submission of the candidacy file is due to expire on Sunday night (23:00 GMT), but there is no legal justification for forcing the candidate to personally file his file with the Constitutional Council.

On Friday evening, Euro News quoted an unnamed official security source as saying that the presidential plane had returned from Switzerland to Algiers without Bouteflika on board.

The same channel quoted an unnamed Algerian government source as saying that the president summoned on Friday his diplomatic advisor and former foreign minister Ramtan Lamamra to Geneva to negotiate the possibility of appointing the latter as prime minister.

There has yet to be an official response from the Algerian authorities denying or confirming what is being discussed about the health president's position at the Geneva hospital and the return of the presidential plane without him.

On Sunday, March 3, the legal deadline for depositing candidates for the Algerian presidency will expire, as stipulated by the country's constitution.

Bouteflika ended months of speculation about his candidacy by announcing on February 10 that he intended to run, but that announcement led to an unprecedented protest movement since he took office in 1999.

On Friday, thousands of Algerians gathered in the capital to protest Bouteflika's intention to extend his 20-year rule by running for a fifth term. Thousands also took off in other cities including Setif, Oran, Balida, Bejaia, Ghardaia and Annaba.