The Algerian president, who is seeking a second presidential term, continues his election campaign. During his rallies, the outgoing president, whose re-election is virtually assured after the elimination and imprisonment of all serious candidates, multiplies strange declarations.
During a metting, he declared in front ofa crowd of his supporters that Algeria has become the third largest economy in the world.
Tebboune’s claim of Algeria being the third economy in the world is a means to console a disenchanted domestic audience following a series of international debacles, the most painful of which was the failure to join the BRICS, which admitted Egypt, Ethiopia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabic as new members.
This surprising statement sparked a wave of sarcasm on social networks and also on international media.
This surprising statement sparked a wave of sarcasm on social networks and also on international media, which asked several questions about the seriousness of the president.
Tebboune increasingly uses demagogic speech. At a previous rally, he provoked controversy by declaring that Algeria would be ready to intervene militarily in Gaza against Israel if Egypt opened its borders to it. Several observers accused him of using the Palestinian issue for electoral purposes.