Algeria is located in northwestern Africa. Geographically speaking, it's one of the biggest countries in the world. It also has one of the biggest reserves of natural gas in the world. Energy is a major driver of the country's economy.

Algerians have been considering making changes to the country's constitution. To go along with other serious issues at hand. Including, but not limited to, the spread of the Coronavirus, which has reached the highest levels of Algeria's government.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune hospitalized over COVID-19

Algeria's new President Abelmadjid Tebboune was recently admitted to a hospital.

According to Voice of America, he initially went to a hospital in his country, a military hospital in Algiers, the most populous city and Algeria capital. But the next, he was transferred to another facility in Bonn, located in western Germany.

Tebboune had previously been in self-isolation. Several close staffers of his had recently been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19. The Algerian government at first didn't elaborate if the president's hospitalization was for COVID-19. But Morocco World News reports that it's since been confirmed that Tebboune tested positive for the disease. The outlet also said that Tebboune is in stable condition.

The timing of Tebboune's hospitalization in either country is somewhat inconvenient.

It came just days before the official voting day for a major constitutional referendum. The proposal in question involves implementing term limits—both for presidents of Algeria and former members of the Parliament of Algeria. The formation of an anti-corruption body is also at stake.

The referendum has been brought forward after the toppling of long-time President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Bouteflika had long gone past what was supposed to be his allotted time as Algeria's head of state. With the news that he wanted to stay on even longer, unrest erupted in the country, eventually leading to Bouteflika's resignation.

Tebboune was previously the prime minister

Abdelmadjid Tebboune won Algeria's Presidential election in late 2019 in a landslide.

Upon taking the Presidency, he also assumed to post of minister of defense. In the past, he was briefly the country's prime minister in 2017.

Tebboune's political career includes holding various Cabinet positions. Most of which were under Bouteflika. Among his Cabinet posts were minister of housing and urban development and minister of communication and culture.

He's also been the equivalent of a U.S. governor of three provinces. The first was Adrar in western Algeria, followed by Tiaret and Tizi Ouzou in the country's northern regions.
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