Bouteflika sworn in as Algeria president for fourth term

ALGIERS — Abdelaziz Bouteflika was sworn in as Algeria’s president for a fourth term Monday, a year after suffering a mini-stroke that was expected to end his 15-year grip on power.

Sitting in a wheelchair and dressed in a navy three-piece suit and crimson tie, Bouteflika placed his right hand on the Koran as he repeated in a frail voice the oath read out by Supreme Court chief Slimane Boudi.

The 77-year-old, who was also in a wheelchair when he cast his ballot in the April 17 election, has hardly been seen in public since the mini-stroke that confined him to hospital in Paris for three months last year.

Official results showed he won 81.5 per cent of the votes in the election marred by low turnout and claims of fraud by his opponents, including main rival Ali Benflis, who received just 12.18 per cent.

In a brief inauguration speech before senior Algerian officials, diplomats and other delegates, Bouteflika stumbled on his words as he thanked the security forces and observers for “ensuring the election was run smoothly”.

Bouteflika also paid tribute to voters and other candidates in the election, which he hailed as a “day of celebration and democracy for Algeria”.

At the start of the ceremony, Bouteflika had placed his hands on his knees as he inspected soldiers following a display of their weapons outside the beachfront Palace of Nations resort.

After shaking hands with the head of a constitutional panel, Mourad Medelci, and members of his government, Bouteflika was greeted by celebratory ululation.

The inauguration ceremony wrapped up after 30 minutes with a standing ovation for Bouteflika and a rousing rendition of the Algerian national anthem.

The opposition boycotted Monday’s swearing-in ceremony, including five parties that had called on their supporters to stay away from the election.

Among the absentees was Benflis, who has refused to recognise Bouteflika’s reelection, saying that doing so would make him “complicit in fraud”.