Algerian president hospitalised in Paris, raising further health speculation

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika travelled to Paris on Thursday to undergo "routine medical checks", according to his office.

The 79-year-old's trip has fuelling the growing speculation over his seemingly poor health.

Rumours surrounding the president's ability to carry out the duties of his office have been rife over the past several weeks in the capital Algiers.

As a result, 19 public figures wrote an open letter to the president - demanding to meet with him to ensure his health allows him to see out his tenure in office.

Bouteflika suffers from a number of health issues and became wheelchair-bound after a stroke in April 2013

In mid-November, even Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sallal was forced to address the growing speculation about the president's health, stating that Bouteflika was continuing to oversee government operations as usual.

On November 20, Bouteflika was shown on state TV during a meeting with the Maltese prime minister, Joseph Muscat, after rumours of his death had swirled on social media.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika suffers from a number of health issues and became wheelchair-bound after a stroke in April 2013, which saw him hospitalised in Paris for 81 days.

Despite his ailing health, Bouteflika was re-elected to a fourth consecutive five-year term as president in April 2014.