Algerian presidential election, 1999
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The 1999 Algerian presidential election took place on 15 April 1999 to elect the President of Algeria. Abdelaziz Bouteflika was elected with 73.8% of the vote after the other six candidates withdrew on the eve of the election.
Incumbent president Liamine Zeroual announced in September 1998 that early presidential elections would be held in February 1999. He also said that he would not be a candidate in the election, in a move which was reported as being due to infighting within the Algerian army. The election was later set for the 15 April and the official campaign began on the 25 March. The government set up a panel to oversee the election, the Independent National Commission for Monitoring the Presidential Election (CNISEP) and President Zeroual called upon all government officials to stay neutral.
The election took place to the backdrop of continuing conflict in the Algerian Civil War. Restoring peace to the country was the major issue for the election.
The frontrunner was a former foreign minister, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was supported by much of the military and establishment. Bouteflika had the backing of the two main parties in the governing coalition and said that he would work to increase trust in the government and would not rule out talking to anyone. Pro-government newspapers described Bouteflika as the "national consensus candidate".
The other candidates included Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi, a former education and foreign minister, who received backing from the outlawed Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). He supported talking with the FIS and for the military to withdraw from politics. Another candidate Abdallah Djaballah, the founder of the Movement for National Reform, called for a government of national unity to be formed.
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