Algerians will head to polls on Thursday to elect a new president, eight months after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down in the backdrop of popular protests against his 20-year rule.

Axar.az reports citing Turkish media.

In February, the country’s ruling National Liberation Front (NLF) nominated the 82-year-old Bouteflika, who has ruled Algeria since 1999, to run for a fifth term in office.

After Bouteflika declared his candidacy on March 3 and gained support from the regime’s leading parties, people started to take to the streets against the decision.

But on March 11, following protests against his presidential bid, Bouteflika abruptly postponed the polls -- originally slated for April 18 -- and formally withdrew his candidacy.