Algeria’s main Islamist party to run in presidential poll

During the night of Friday to Saturday “the consultative council decided by an overwhelming majority to take part in the presidential election and to present Dr Abderrazak Makri as the party’s candidate,” the MSP’s head of communications Abdellah Bouadji told AFP.

Presenting itself as Islamist and moderate, the MSP had supported ageing incumbent President Abdelaziz Bouteflika within a governing alliance, before going its own way in 2012.

Bouteflika, 81, who uses a wheelchair and has rarely been seen in public since a stroke in 2013, is due to complete a fourth term in office on April 28. The election is set for April 18.

Despite his advanced age and poor health, some of Bouteflika’s supporters have called for him to stand for a fifth term.

But the president himself is yet to make his plans clear.

By law, would-be candidates have until March 4 to register with the constitutional court.

Ahead of the last presidential election in 2014, Bouteflika only declared his intention to run a few days ahead of the deadline.