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Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika “flunked” an apparent test of oral skills at his inauguration ceremony, newspapers reported on Tuesday, raising their concerns over the ailing Presidents ability to carry out his duties. The ailing 77-year-old, sitting in a wheelchair, struggled to deliver his oath of office and give a televised speech on Monday, following his re-election for a 4th term. Bouteflika had cast his vote on April 17 in a wheelchair as well – the President has rarely been seen in public without a wheelchair after his stroke, which had confined him to a Parisian hospital for 3 months last year.
Leading newspaper El Watan said in an editorial, “Bouteflika flunked his oral . . . Handicapped by illness, he was forced to tap into his meager resources to pass this final and challenging oral exam. Algerians who followed the tragicomic event on television saw images that gave little reassurance on the state of the health of Bouteflika, who is to preside over the country’s destiny for the next five years.”
The daily El Khabar spoke about the issue on its front page, and described Bouteflika’s speech as “incomplete”. It added that after reciting the oath, 94 words long and in Arabic, the President failed to properly deliver the complete 30-minute speech, a copy of which was given to journalists at the ceremony.
The French-language Liberte called the ceremony “expeditious”, and said Bouteflika “only read the preamble of the confusing speech”, which was only 12 pages long. “Yesterday’s performance reminded us, once again, of the stubborn issue of the president’s capacity to effectively undertake his duties. The regime can say everything is in order, (but) the medical debate continues with its political ramifications”, it added.
The youth protest movement Barakat (Enough) sent a letter on Tuesday to the Constitutional Council, calling for Bouteflika’s impeachment over his inability to rule competently. Their request is based on footage of Bouteflika failing “to read all his text and only one paragraph of the 29 in the speech”, Barakat’s Amina Bouraoui said.