Butaflika nominates himself for a second presidential term of office

The Algerian president Abdul Aziz Butaflika has announced officially his nomination for the presidential elections due to be on April 8th to win a five- year period term of office.

Butaflika explained in front of his supporters in one hotel in Algiers that he had taken this decision in order to continue his program aiming at establishing peace and enhancing national reconciliation and bringing back this country to its international position.

Butaflika is competing with several candidates, including the secretary general of the Algerian liberation front Ali Benflis, the former foreign minister, close to the Islamists Ahmad Taleb al-Ibraheimi and the leader of the opposition Communist labor party Luiza Hanoun and Abdullah Jabullah from the Islamic reform movement.

Certain observers consider Butaflika as the front runner in these elections, especially after three of the parties signed a political alliance charter to support his re-election.