Ali Benflis

Ali Benflis was appointed Prime Minister of Algeria on August 27, 2000, by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, succeeding Ahmed Benbitour. His appointment marked the beginning of a close political alliance with Bouteflika, as he implemented the president's policies.

Benflis's government implemented the Civil Concord law in 2000, offering amnesty to Islamist fighters who surrendered, as part of Bouteflika's national reconciliation policy. The law helped reduce violence in the Algerian Civil War, leading to the surrender of thousands of insurgents.

Benflis resigned as Prime Minister on May 5, 2003, after nearly three years in office. His resignation followed a power struggle with President Bouteflika, who sought to consolidate control, leading to Benflis's replacement by Ahmed Ouyahia.

Benflis ran as the main opposition candidate against President Bouteflika in the 2004 presidential election, after breaking with the FLN. He campaigned on a platform of political reform and anti-corruption, but lost to Bouteflika, who won with 85% of the vote amid allegations of fraud.

Benflis was arrested in June 2019 on corruption charges related to his time as prime minister, as part of a crackdown on former officials after Bouteflika's resignation. He was sentenced to five years in prison in 2020, though the charges were widely seen as politically motivated.