Algeria has witnessed a notable decline in the number of free lists participating in the upcoming local elections, with a significant drop of around 80% compared to the 2021 elections. According to the Independent National Electoral Authority, the number of free lists has decreased substantially, while lists presented under the auspices of political parties have increased their presence. This shift is evident in the initial results of the withdrawal of candidacy files for the local elections scheduled for November 28.
In the 2021 elections, a total of 20,685 candidacy files were withdrawn for the municipal popular councils, with 19,160 of them presented by political parties and 1,525 as free lists. In contrast, the current elections have seen a significant decrease in free lists, with only 304 files submitted, while 12,881 files were withdrawn in total. Of these, 12,557 were presented by political parties, and 20 files were submitted as part of party alliances.
The dominance of party lists is further evident in the provincial popular councils, where 672 files were withdrawn in total. Of these, 644 were presented by political parties, and 3 files were submitted as part of party alliances, while only 25 files were submitted as free lists. This represents a significant shift from the 2021 elections, where party lists accounted for around 78.2% of the total files, and free lists accounted for 21.8%.
The Independent National Electoral Authority has also reported that the number of individual forms withdrawn to support lists has increased significantly. A total of 2,973,261 forms were withdrawn for the municipal popular councils, and 536,389 forms were withdrawn for the provincial popular councils. These numbers reflect the situation as of September 23 and do not represent the final number of lists that will participate in the elections.
The decline of free lists and the dominance of party lists have raised questions about the level of representation and participation in the local elections. The new electoral law has introduced changes to the electoral process, including the possibility of forming alliances between parties. This has led to a significant increase in the number of party alliances participating in the elections.
The Independent National Electoral Authority has announced that it will continue to monitor the electoral process and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to ensure the integrity and transparency of the elections. The authority has also called on all citizens to participate in the elections and exercise their right to vote.
The local elections in Algeria are seen as a crucial step towards democratization and decentralization. The elections will determine the composition of municipal and provincial councils, which play a significant role in local governance and decision-making. The outcome of the elections is expected to have a significant impact on the country's political landscape.
Key points
- Free lists have declined by around 80% compared to the 2021 elections.
- Party lists dominate the scene, accounting for around 97.5% of the total files submitted.
- The number of individual forms withdrawn to support lists has increased significantly, with over 2.9 million forms withdrawn for the municipal popular councils.
