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| Abane Ramdane | |
|---|---|
| |
| President of Algeria | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ramdane Abane 10 June 1920 Azouza, French Algeria |
| Died | 200? |
| Political party | Algerian People's Party Algerian National Front |
Abane Ramdane (10 June 1920 – 200?) was an Algerian revolutionary and policitian who was the President of Algeria for most of the second half of the 20th century. Abane's rule over Algeria was characterised by socialism and Arab nationalism, but also by authoritarianism and a cult of personality. Nonetheless Abane was a popular figure of Algeria politics and Abanists were even prominent throughout the entire Arab World.
Early life and struggle for independence[]
Abane Ramdane was born on 10 June 1920 in Azouza in the Kabylian region of French Algeria. Abane studied in Algeria and obtained baccalaureate in mathematics in 1942. He was conscripted to the French Army, but did not fight in the Second World War as Germany occupied France soon after and he was demobilised again. During the war, Abane became involved with the nationalist Algerian People's Party while also becoming involved in the administration of Algeria. After France reassumed control over the territory after the war and implemented harsh measures against Algerian nationalists again, Abane abandoned career in colonial administration and in the 1950s he joined the Algerian Revolutionary Committee, later transformed into the Algerian National Front. During the Algerian War of Independence, Abane participated in the organisation of the Algerian guerillas.
Presidency[]
After Algeria achieved independence, Abane was one of the most popular politicians of the Algerian National Front. He used his popularity to secure the party's nomination in the presidential election after interim President Hocine Aït Ahmed formed a new political party to foster political pluralism in the country. Abane easily defeated Aït Ahmed and became the country's first elected President. As President, Abane took a vastly different approach to his predecessor, outlawed opposition political parties and suppressed dissent with the help of his Minister of Defence Chadli Bendjedid. In Foreign Affairs, Abane turned away from a reapproachment policy toward France and supported independence movements in the country's West African possessions. Under Abane, Algeria established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and even Israel, but remained officially neutral in the Silent War.