- Title: ALGERIA: Algerias Bouteflika sworn in for fourth term
- Date: 28th April 2014
- Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (APRIL 28, 2014) (REUTERS) INTERIOR OF NATION'S PALACE, MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS SEATED MINISTERS ARRIVING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH PEOPLE SEATED VARIOUS OF ALGERIAN PRESIDENT ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA BEING PUSHED IN WHEELCHAIR ON TO STAGE, AUDIENCE CLAPPING BOUTEFLIKA IN WHEELCHAIR AT PODIUM AUDIENCE CLAPPING/BOUTEFLIKA ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALGERIAN PRESIDENT, ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA, (REPEATING AFTER PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT SLIMANE BOUDI) SAYING: "I swear by God Almighty that I respect the Islamic religion and worship it, and defend the Constitution and work on the continuity of the state and work to provide the necessary conditions for the normal functioning of the institutions and the constitutional order, and God is my witness." AUDIENCE SEATED, BOUTEFLIKA AND BOUDI ON STAGE BOUDI TALKING AT PODIUM, BOUTEFLIKA ON STAGE AUDIENCE CLAPPING, BOUDI WALKING OFF STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALGERIAN PRESIDENT, ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA, SAYING: "I thank those who voted on this poll and the Algerian people for their renewed confidence." BOUTEFLIKA BEING WHEELED TO FRONT OF STAGE AUDIENCE STANDING FOR NATIONAL ANTHEM/BOUTEFLIKA ON STAGE BOUTEFLIKA ON STAGE DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM MILITARY STANDING AND SALUTING DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM BOUTEFLIKA BEING WHEELED OFF STAGE, AUDIENCE CLAPPING
- Embargoed: 13th May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Algeria
- Country: Algeria
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5NW1TTD4MEX8EHGK3TMTD18YZ
- Story Text: Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was sworn in for a fourth five-year term on Monday (April 28) after he easily won an election opponents dismissed as fraudulently returning the ailing 77-year-old to power.
A fragile-looking Bouteflika sat in a wheelchair to take the oath and give a brief statement in one of his rare public appearances since a stroke last year that raised questions about his ability to govern.
"I swear by God Almighty that I respect the Islamic religion and worship it, and defend the Constitution and work on the continuity of the state and work to provide the necessary conditions for the normal functioning of the institutions and the constitutional order, and God is my witness," he said, repeating after the President of the Algerian Supreme Court Slimane Boudi.
"I thank those who voted on this poll and the Algerian people for their renewed confidence," Bouteflika said in a weak voice, in his first public speech for at least two years
Under Bouteflika, a veteran of the war that ended with independence in 1962, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) producer has become a partner in Washington's campaign against Islamist militancy in the Maghreb and a supplier of about a fifth of Europe's gas imports.
But Bouteflika's condition has left questions about what happens next, who replaces him if he cannot govern for the entire term and how that impacts political and economic reforms and oil investment in the North African country.
Many Algerians are wary about upheaval following their bloody war with Islamist militants in the 1990s that killed 200,000 people.
Neighbouring Libya, Tunisia and Egypt are also still overcoming instability after their own 2011 revolts.
Bouteflika's allies have promised a constitutional revision to strengthen Algeria's democracy and reforms to an oil-reliant economy hampered by heavy state bureaucracy and restrictions on foreign investment. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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