23 Facts About Ali Benflis

Ali Benflis is an Algerian politician who was Head of Government of Algeria from 2000 to 2004.

Ali Benflis ran yet again as an independent candidate in the 2014 Algerian presidential elections held on 17 April 2014.

Ali Benflis was born on 8 September 1944 in Batna, which is the fifth largest city in Algeria.

When he was 13 years old, Ali Benflis lost his father and older brother during the Algerian War.

Ali Benflis went to primary school in Batna, before earning his high school diploma from Hihi El Mekki High School in Constantine.

Ali Benflis successively held the positions of General Secretary at the office of the Algerian President, as well as Chief of Staff at the Presidential Cabinet.

Ali Benflis is a founding member of the Algerian Human Rights League, which was set up on 11 November 1987 by the Minister of the Interior El Hadi Khediri and Major-General Larbi Belkheir, with the aim of counteracting the Ligue algerienne pour la defense des droits de l'homme.

Ali Benflis was a member of the executive committee of the Algerian Human Rights League, as well as a delegate for the country's eastern area.

Ali Benflis obtained his law degree in 1968 from The Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences University in Algeria.

Ali Benflis became a magistrate and was appointed judge at the Court of Blida in October 1968.

Ali Benflis was elected as a member of the executive committee of the National Council of Lawyers during the same period.

In 1987, Ali Benflis' stature catapulted him to the position of President of the Bar for Batna.

Ali Benflis initiated the adoption of texts consolidating freedom and human rights such as the abolition of the banishment sentence and the elimination of the State Security Court.

Ali Benflis will be remembered because he resigned from the government when his request was not taken into account.

Ali Benflis was appointed Prime Minister of Algeria in August 2000.

Ali Benflis obtained support from his social and economic partners for his legislative initiatives on economic and social reforms.

Ali Benflis left the post of prime minister on 13 August 2004.

Ali Benflis was successively re-elected in 1991,1996,1998 and 2000.

Four months after the results of the 8 April 2004 presidential election were announced, Ali Benflis retired his mandate as Secretary-General of the FLN Party on 19 August 2004.

Ali Benflis denounced the election results, which were seen by many as marred by fraud.

On 19 January 2014, Ali Benflis announced his intention to stand as a candidate in the 2014 presidential election.

Ali Benflis is a candidate in the third attempted date for organising the 2019 Algerian presidential election, on 12 December 2019.

Ali Benflis is married, and is the father of four children.