Abdelmadjid Tebboune

Abdelmadjid Tebboune is the current President of Algeria. He is in the news primarily due to the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV to Algeria in April 2026. This visit, the first by a Pope to Algeria, a majority-Muslim country, is seen as a significant diplomatic success for Tebboune and a message of openness to the Islamic world. The Pope's visit included a meeting and handshake with President Tebboune. However, Tebboune is also facing legal challenges from Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who intends to sue him despite being pardoned by Tebboune after serving a prison sentence. Sansal accuses Tebboune's government of levying false charges against him. These events highlight Tebboune's role in Algerian politics and its international relations.