Algerian veteran President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has defied protesters by confirming he will run again for the presidency, but says he will not serve a full term.
In a letter, he said if he wins next month’s vote, he would oversee a national dialogue leading to fresh elections which he would not contest.
His decision to seek a fifth term in office sparked nationwide protests.
Mr. Bouteflika, 82, has rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.
Yesterday saw new protests when Mr. Bouteflika’s campaign manager submitted papers on behalf of the ailing president, who is undergoing medical treatment in Switzerland.