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| Chronology of standoff between Algeria's Bouteflika and Benflis
ALGIERS, Oct 3 (AFP) - The departure from Algeria's government of the last National Liberation Front (FLN) ministers loyal to FLN leader Ali Benflis marks the latest episode in the escalating rivalry between Benflis and President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Bouteflika, who himself emerged from the ranks of the FLN, has yet to announce his candidature for the spring 2004 presidential election but sees former prime minister Benflis as a potential rival in a bruising contest. BizVantage – A Net clipping service that learns what you need: for business, investment or technology. Herewith is a chronology of the standoff between the two former political allies. March 18-20: The eighth party congress of the FLN agrees a new policy line at its meeting in Algiers, most notably emphasising the independence of the party against the president. Prime Minister Benflis, a supporter of rejuvenating and modernising the party, is elected as FLN leader with a new mandate of five years. New statutes give him sweeping powers in the party, allowing Benflis to appoint top officials and call an extraordinary party congress. May 5: President Bouteflika sacks Benflis, his former right-hand man, as prime minister and appoints Ahmed Ouyahia, prime minister between 1995 and 1998, in his place. The sacking highlights the massive divisions between the two former allies, in particular over the direction of the FLN and the conduct of economic policy. May 9: Ouyahia, the secretary general of the National Democratic Rally (RND) party, forms a new government largely comprised of the previous government's members. June 6: FLN headquarters are attacked in four regions by supporters of Bouteflika, who the press says were seeking to take them over. The FLN blames "circles within the apparatus of the state" for the operation. June 27: The FLN announces that Benflis will be its candidate in the 2004 presidential elections. Aug 14: Several people are injured during clashes between FLN supporters, during a rally of anti-Benflis activists in Algiers. Sept 4: Several FLN Bouteflika supporters set up an executive authority for the "provisional rectification of the party". Made up of 21 members, the authority aims to fight for imposing change on the party and scrapping the decisions made at the March congress, which it sees as too favourable for Benflis. Sept 5: The FLN's central committee decides to hold an extraordinary congress to approve Benflis' candidacy in the presidential election. Bouteflika reshuffles his government by removing six ministers from the FLN, which holds the majority in Algeria's national assembly. Oct 2: Benflis pulls out from the government the five remaining FLN members who support him. Oct 3: An Algerian court orders a ban on the party's extraordinary congress to approve Benflis' candidacy, planned for Oct 4, following a request from party activists aligned to the rectification faction. fm/sjw/rl Algeria-politics-chrono
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