Celebrations erupt after Algerian president drops fifth term bid

Middle East

Hundreds of Algerians have been celebrating President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s decision not to seek a fifth term in office.

Residents of the capital Algiers honked their car horns and flew the national flag as they sang “peacefully, we have overthrown the puppet!”.

The ailing leader has postponed the 18 April presidential elections after his candidacy provoked mass protests over the past few weeks.

Mr Bouteflika has led the North African nation for 20 years but has rarely been seen in public since he suffered a stroke in 2013.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *