Algerian political parties are gearing up for the upcoming local elections, but they face significant challenges. The process of forming electoral lists and attracting candidates has proven difficult, with many parties struggling to find suitable candidates. According to Ramadan Taaizibt, a leading figure in the Workers' Party, the party has started preparing for the elections, but the experience of previous elections has shown a decline in the willingness to run and participate in politics.
The local elections hold great importance as they are closely tied to the daily concerns of citizens. Taaizibt emphasized that providing suitable conditions for political participation would encourage more people to participate in the elections. The Workers' Party has submitted several demands to the National Independent Authority for Elections, related to the organizational procedures and field conditions for the electoral process. Taaizibt called for addressing these concerns to ensure a transparent and fair electoral process.
The head of the Voice of the People party, Lamine Oussmani, also acknowledged the difficulties faced by parties in attracting candidates. He attributed this to fears related to the application of certain provisions of the electoral law. Oussmani called for greater clarification from the National Independent Authority for Elections on the application of Article 184 of the electoral law, which has raised concerns among potential candidates.
Oussmani requested that the authority issue an instruction to precisely define the cases covered by Article 184, providing more clarity and reassurance for those willing to run. He also called for the publication of the outcomes of the meetings between the head of the National Independent Authority for Elections, Said Arous, and the leaders of political parties. This, he believes, would help clarify the framework for the upcoming elections.
The concerns of Taaizibt and Oussmani converge on several points, including the difficulty of attracting candidates and the need for clearer participation rules. However, each party has its own perspective on the challenges posed. The Workers' Party focuses on the conditions for political participation and equal opportunities for parties, while the Voice of the People party prioritizes the application of electoral law provisions.
In some regions, parties have started submitting their lists. In the province of Bouira, the National Building Movement submitted a list for the municipal council in the town of Righida. The Future Front also submitted two lists in the municipalities of Al-Hashim and Bnyan. Meanwhile, the National Independent Authority for Elections announced that five political parties had submitted their files.
According to the National Independent Authority for Elections, a total of 12,881 collective candidacy files were submitted for the municipal councils across 1,541 municipalities. This includes 12,557 files under the sponsorship of 34 political parties and 20 files under the sponsorship of party alliances. Additionally, 304 files were submitted for free lists. For the provincial councils, 672 collective candidacy files were submitted across 69 provinces.
Key points
- Algerian parties struggle to attract candidates due to fears related to the application of electoral law provisions.
