ALGIERS ¨C Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, facing mass protests over his 20 years in power, will run in April¡¯s elections, his campaign manager said on Sunday, with Ennahar TV saying he had offered to step down after a year if re-elected.
The announcement read out by Abdelghani Zaalane on Bouteflika¡¯s behalf said that the president pledged to organize an early election, with Ennahar TV saying that this would be held within a year.
The comments are likely to be viewed as an attempt to appease those who had taken to the streets for 10 days to protest the 82-year-old¡¯s plans to remain in office and to allow him an exit on his own terms.
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