Algeria mourns former president Liamine Zeroual

Abdelmadjid Tebboune has paid his respects to former Algerian leader Liamine Zeroual, whose death at the age of 84 has prompted nationwide mourning in Algeria.

Images released by the presidency show Tebboune standing solemnly beside Zeroual’s coffin at the Mohamed Seghir Nekkache Military Hospital, where the former president died after a long illness. Authorities have declared three days of national mourning, with flags flying at half-mast across the country.

Born in the eastern city of Batna in 1941, Zeroual was a former soldier who rose through the ranks of the National Liberation Army, which fought for independence from French colonial rule. He later took power in 1994 during one of Algeria’s most turbulent periods, amid a brutal civil conflict.

As president, Zeroual is credited with steering the country toward political transition. In 1995, he organised Algeria’s first multi-party presidential election, winning a decisive mandate. However, in a surprise move in 1998, he stepped down early, paving the way for Abdelaziz Bouteflika to assume power.

Though he withdrew from public life, Zeroual remained a respected figure in Algeria, remembered for his role in navigating the country through crisis and laying the groundwork for political reforms.