Algerian Presidents

A history of Algerian presidents.

Note the discontinuities formed by the Revolutionary Council (which Houari Boumédiène led) and the High Council of State (which was successively chaired by Mohamed Boudiaf until his assassination in 1992; then Ali Kafi until his resignation in 1994; and finally Liamine Zéroual until he held elections).

Across the single party state regimes, the aforementioned military junta regimes, and the current constitutional regime, the presidency has always autocratic.

Under the current constitution, presidents are elected by first-past-the-post national vote and serve a term of 5 years. Originally there was a 2 term limit, but Abdelaziz Bouteflika repeatedly amended the constitution to raise that limit, allowing him to serve four terms across 20 years.

Notable in that it constitutes some constitutional limit on executive power, following Bouteflika's resignation, acting president Abdelkader Bensalah was specifically barred from competing in the elections he organized.

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