born Dec. 25, 1918?, Maghnia, Alg.
First elected president of Algeria.
After a French education, he entered the French army and was decorated during World War II (1939–45). After the war he took up arms to fight French rule. In 1954 he helped found the National Liberation Front (FLN) and became its political leader. He was imprisoned (1956–62) while the FLN fought for Algerian independence. He took control of the FLN's Political Bureau after his release and was elected president in 1963. He was deposed in a coup in 1965 and imprisoned until 1980. Thereafter he spent 10 years in exile, returning to Algeria in 1990. See also Mohamed Boudiaf ; Houari Boumedienne .