Algeria's six presidential hopefuls wrapped up campaigning ahead of the one of the most hotly contested races ever in this North African country. Angry protests and bitter political sniping have marked the run-up to Thursday's election in a nation known today more for bloody Islamic rebellion and one-party rule than democracy.
| That's certainly what I think of when I think, "hmmm, Algeria." |
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is running for a second five-year term, and it is unclear whether he will muster the majority of votes he needs to avoid a runoff on April 22. Leading the pack of contenders is his former right-hand man, Ali Benflis, whom Bouteflika fired as prime minister in May. Benflis has sought to distinguish himself by calling for greater government openness than under his one-time mentor. The stakes are high for Algeria, Africa's second-largest country and a breeding ground for radical Islam, as it seeks to democratize, attract investment and move on from a 12-year Islamic insurgency in which more than 120,000 people are estimated to have died. For the first time since Algeria won independence from France in 1962, the army - widely viewed as the kingmaker in Algerian politics - has vowed neutrality. Candidate walkouts and vast voter boycotts of past Algerian elections appear less likely this time. The army's neutrality could play into Benflis' hands. Some observers say the military is angry at Bouteflika for not defending soldiers against accusations from human rights groups that the army used a heavy hand in cracking down on suspected terror groups. Bouteflika has drawn plaudits from Washington for his role in the fight against terrorism rooted in radical Islam. He has boasted that terrorism is now no longer a threat in Algeria. Under his tenure, the economy has grown about 4 percent a year, and Algeria has succeeded in trimming its foreign debt by more than 20 percent, according to U.S. State Department figures.
| Still have a booming industry in exporting jihadis, however. |
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