ALGERIA: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika casts his ballot from a wheelchair in an election he is expected to win after 15 years in power

Record ID: 574340

  • Title: ALGERIA: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika casts his ballot from a wheelchair in an election he is expected to win after 15 years in power
  • Date: 17th April 2014
  • Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (APRIL 17, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ALGIERS SKYLINE EXTERIOR OF POLLING STATION WHERE PRESIDENT ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA VOTES VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS STANDING OUTSIDE POLLING STATION SIGN READING (Arabic): 'EL-BIAR DISTRICT, POLLING STATION NUMBER 036' OFFICIALS PREPARING BALLOT BOXES VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS PREPARING BALLOT PAPERS OFFICIAL INSPECTING BALLOT BOX BALLOT PAPERS ON TABLE OFFICIALS PREPARING BALLOT PAPERS ON TABLE OFFICIALS SEATED AT TABLE OFFICIAL LOCKING BALLOT BOX WOMAN PREPARING TO VOTE OFFICIAL LOOKING AT REGISTER WOMAN TAKING BALLOT PAPERS WOMAN ENTERING POLLING BOOTH WOMAN EXITING POLLING BOOTH AND PLACING BALLOT IN BALLOT BOX BALLOT BOX (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALGIERS RESIDENT, BAYA HAMZAOUI, SAYING: "It's been a long time since I last voted, and this time I told myself, I am going to vote, even if I have to die on my way there. That's how it is, it's my duty." MAN PUTTING BALLOT IN BALLOT BOX MAN TAKING BALLOT PAPER MAN IN POLLING BOOTH MAN PUTTING VOTE IN BALLOT BOX MAN SIGNING REGISTER PRESIDENT ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA ENTERING POLLING STATION IN WHEELCHAIR AND SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS, MEDIA FILMING BOUTEFLIKA GOING INTO POLLING BOOTH BOUTEFLIKA EXITING POLLING BOOTH AND PLACING VOTE IN BALLOT BOX, MEDIA FILMING BOUTEFLIKA IN WHEELCHAIR WAVING TO PUBLIC BOUTEFLIKA LEAVING, SURROUNDED BY MEDIA AND PEOPLE CHANTING
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Algeria
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: General,Politics,People
  • Reuters ID: LVAG0K9QNI76OQJ6YY4AE9YVGEV
  • Story Text: Algerians voted on Thursday (April 17) in an election President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is expected to win after 15 years in power, despite appearing only rarely in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.
    With the dominant National Liberation Front (FLN) party, allied movements and unions behind him, many Algerians believe Bouteflika, 77, is almost assured of victory and another five years governing the country.
    But concerns about Bouteflika's health and how Algeria manages any transition have raised questions about stability in a region where neighbouring Libya, Tunisia and Egypt are still in turmoil after the Arab Spring revolts of 2011.
    Several opposition parties have boycotted the election, saying it is slanted in the president's favour and unlikely to bring reforms to a system little changed since independence from France in 1962.
    But some of those turning out on Thursday said they were determined to vote.
    "It's been a long time since I last voted, and this time I told myself, I am going to vote, even if I have to die on my way there. That's how it is, it's my duty," said 76-year-old said Baya Hamzaoui, who lives in the capital.
    Bouteflika himself voted in the el-Biar residential district of Algiers.
    He arrived in a wheelchair at the polling station at around 10 AM local time (0900 GMT).
    The station had been guarded by a number of officials since the early hours of the morning.
    Bouteflika cast his ballot but did not give any statement and only briefly shook hands with supporters before leaving.
    Loyalists portray Bouteflika as the man who helped stabilise Algeria after a war with Islamist militants in the 1990s that killed around 200,000 people.
    Since the stroke that put him in a Paris hospital for three months, Bouteflika has appeared only rarely in public, usually when speaking with visiting dignitaries.
    He did not campaign, though allies say he is well enough to govern.
    Results of the election are due on Friday (April 18) at the earliest.
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