Abdelmadjid Tebboune, born in 1945, is the current President of Algeria since December 2019. He succeeded Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Abdelkader Bensalah. Tebboune also served as Prime Minister and Minister of Defence.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune was born on 17 November 1945 in Mécheria, Naâma Province, Algeria.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune graduated from the National School of Administration on 29 July 1969.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune was appointed as the Prime Minister of Algeria in May 2017, succeeding Abdelmalek Sellal. However, he served for less than three months before being dismissed by President Bouteflika.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected as the President of Algeria after the 2019 Algerian presidential election, winning 58% of the votes with a turnout of less than 40%.
President Tebboune established a commission of experts to examine the previous constitution and propose necessary revisions, focusing on citizens' rights, combatting corruption, balance of powers, oversight of parliament, independence of the judiciary, citizens' equality, and term limits for the president.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared 22 February as the Algerian 'National Day of Fraternity and Cohesion Between The People and Its Army For Democracy' in honor of the first anniversary of the Hirak Movement. He expressed support for the movement and committed to fulfilling its demands.
President Tebboune announced the prohibition of marches and rallies, citing COVID-19 concerns. This led to the arrest of protestors and journalists, sparking accusations of silencing Algerians and drawing international condemnation.
Around 70 prisoners of conscience, including activists and journalists supporting the Hirak movement, were estimated to be imprisoned by this date, with some arrested for social media posts.
The constitutional changes proposed by the Laraba Commission were approved in the 1 November referendum, with 66.68% of voters participating in favor of the changes.
On 10 January 2021, President Tebboune flew back to Germany for treatment of complications in his foot resulting from the COVID-19 infection.
On 16 February 2021, mass protests and nationwide rallies against the government of Abdelmadjid Tebboune began.
On 18 February 2021, President Tebboune announced changes to the cabinet, including the dismissal of several ministers. He also dissolved the lower house of the Algerian Parliament and called early legislative elections within six months.
On 28 July 2021, President Tebboune stated that Algeria offers Libya 'total assistance' while hosting Mohammad Younes el-Menfi, the president of Libya's Presidency Council.
On 8 December 2021, President Tebboune held a meeting with French minister of foreign affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian to discuss bilateral relations and peace in Libya and Mali.
On 24 January 2022, President Tebboune visited Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues.
On 15 February 2022, President Tebboune announced the introduction of unemployment benefits for young adults in response to the high unemployment rate in the country.
During a state visit to Rome on 26 May 2022, President Tebboune agreed to increase gas supply for Italy and Europe after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On 18 July 2022, President Tebboune signed an energy contract worth €4 billion for additional gas supply to Italy with Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi in Algiers, making Algeria Italy's biggest gas supplier.
On 18 December 2022, President Tebboune met with French Minister of Interior Gerald Darmanin in Algiers to discuss bilateral relations and migration issues.
On 13 June 2023, President Tebboune started a three-day visit to Russia and pledged to deepen the 'strategic partnership' between Russia and Algeria during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.