Algeria: Bouteflika Takes On Third Term · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

On Friday, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was elected for a third term in office, extending his already ten-year tenure.  Along with former Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem, Bouteflika changed the constitution to remove the presidential term limit, a revision that was approved by the Council of Ministers in November 2008.  According to Daily Maghreb, he won his third term with 90.24 percent of votes cast.
Moroccan and Algerian bloggers had much to say about his re-election.  Prior to the win, Algerian-American The Moor Next Door said:
The Algerian presidential campaign is dominated by Abdelaziz Bouteflika, substantively and visually. So vigorous has been his campaign that Boutelfika skipped the Arab Summit in Doha, sending FM Medelci instead. Others have attempted to initiate their own narratives — this is implicit in Hanoune’s, as she is a Trotskyite, and it is increasingly clear in Mohamed Said’s campaign, though he was an remains a relative unknown. Touati has for the most part tried to coopt Bouteflika’s platform using a different face, and Younsi and Rebiane have used their campaigns as platforms to attack the regime, with the former’s platform being the more dissident of the two, ideologically speaking
Larbi [fr], commenting on the margin by which Bouteflika won, said:
Félicitations au Candidat Abdelaziz qui rentre dans notre top 5 à la troisième place.
Bachar Al-Assad  reste toujours à la tête du classement avec un score de 97% (réélu le 29 mai 2007).
Au deuxième rang on retrouve un fidèle à l'émission: Zine el-Abidine qui obtient 94,49 %  (réélu 24 octobre 2004).
Puis le jeune Abdelaziz qui avec ses 90,24% d’hier est troisième. Un rang honorable tant la compétition est rude  et il y a de nombreux joueurs qui ne déméritent pas.
Bashar Al-Assad is still in the lead with a score of 97% (re-elected on 29 May 2007).
In second place we find someone ever faithful: Zine el-Abidine obtains 94.49% (re-elected 24 October 2004).
Then the young Abdelaziz who with 90.24% yesterday is third. An honorable rank as the competition is fierce and there are many players who never lose points.
At Bilad Tlisman [Ar], Algerian blogger Baroudi doesn't necessarily agree:
Citoyen Hmida had a few choice remarks as well:
Seul candidat crédible, seul candidat ayant accès aux médias officiels, seul candidat bénéficiant de tous les moyens de l’état pour mener sa campagne, seul candidat à avoir une chance d’être élu, seul candidat à bénéficier du soutien logistique d’un parti, seul candidat à avoir exercé le pouvoir et à en connaître les arcanes et les arnaques, Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA a été le seul candidat à pouvoir devenir (ou plutôt à rester) président !