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By Hamid Ould Ahmed

ALGIERS, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Algerian lawmakers on Wednesday scrapped a rule limiting presidents to two terms, clearing the way for a likely bid by head of state Abdelaziz Bouteflika to extend his near decade-long rule until 2014. The 71-year-old veteran of the independence war against France has yet to say whether he wants to run again, but state media reports suggest he will contest a presidential election in April 2009 when his second five-year term expires.

The parliamentary opposition cried foul.

"We are living through a disguised coup d'etat," said Said Saadi, head of the small secular opposition party, the Rally for Culture and Democracy, which voted against the amendment.

"The 12th of November will remain a black day in history."

Bouteflika's ruling tripartite coalition has an overwhelming majority in the legislature, and the joint sitting of the national assemby and the Senate voted 500 to 21 for the amendment to the constitution, with eight abstentions. "Our goal is to strengthen our political system," Bouteflika, who was absent, said in a speech read out for him.

Algerian political scientist Abed Charef told Reuters: "The revision confirms in the people's eyes that the law is not made for everyone -- the powerful make the law, change it when it gets in their way, while the weakest must submit to the law."

Political trends in the former French colony are closely watched around the Mediterranean because it is Africa's largest gas exporter and supplier of 20 percent of Europe's gas imports.

Algeria boasts Africa's third biggest economy but has a long history of political violence. Africa's second largest country by area is still fighting militants from al Qaeda's north African wing, behind sporadic suicide bombings and shootings.

CIVIL WAR DECADE

Bouteflika's supporters say he should stay on to continue efforts to rebuild the giant north African Arab country of 34 million, which has regained a measure of stability after a civil war in the 1990s that cost an estimated 150,000 lives.

"The constitution doesn't limit mandates of mayors and MPs, so why should we limit that of the president?" Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia said after the vote. "The situation in Algeria has changed since 1996. Our country has stabilised."

Opposition politicians have called for the constitution to be respected rather than changed, referring to what they see as the presidency's dominance of the courts and legislature.

They say that Algeria is long overdue for a change and that Bouteflika's generation, which fought the 1954-62 independence war against France, should make way for younger Algerians.

"I'm neither for or against Bouteflika," said Abderaouf Benmakhlouf 21, a computer engineer in a coffee shop in Algiers' Bab El Oued district.

"But I want change and I would've preferred he not go for a third term. I think 10 years as president is more than enough. He should retire and give a chance to somebody else to rule the country."

The government also faces discontent over its failure to use an oil revenue windfall to improve the lives of most Algerians, but the weak opposition is in little position to bring change. (Writing by William Maclean; Editing by Louise Ireland and Mark Trevelyan)

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