Elections in Algeria
Encyclopedia
Algeria elects on national level a head of state
- the president
- and a legislature
. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. People's National Assembly
(al-Majlis al-Sha'abi al-Watani/Assemblé Populaire Nationale) has 380 members, elected for a five year term in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation
. Eight seats in the national assembly are reserved for Algerians abroad. The Council of the Nation
(Majlis al-Umma/Conseil de la Nation) has 144 members, 96 members elected by communal councils and 48 members appointed by the president
.
Algeria has a multi-party system, with numerous parties
in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties
must work with each other to form coalition government
s. According to the OSCE, Algerian elections are generally free and fair. According to US Embassy cables, the 2009 presidential elections were "carefully choreographed and heavily controlled", with the official turnout figure "exaggerated" by at least 45%.
Until 12 November 2008, presidents were limited to two terms; on this date, amendments to the constitution were passed with removed the term limits.
, obtained the largest number of seats, with 136. It was followed by its two governing partners, the RND
, with 61, and the Islamist MSP
, with 52 seats. The latter parties gained seats at the expense of the FLN, which lost 38 seats in comparison with its result in 2002.
The radical leftist Workers' Party
(PT) led by Louiza Hannoune obtained 26 seats, becoming the largest force in parliament after the governing coalition; the secularist Berber RCD
obtained 19 seats, reentering parliament after a boycott in 2002 had left the party without representation there. The other Islamist party, Islah
(split, with one wing calling for a boycott of the election), lost heavily, maintaining only 3 seats, versus 43 in the previous parliament. Independents, with 33 seats (3 more than in the previous parliament), and a number of smaller parties shared the rest of the seats.
Several groups, notably the leftist Front of Socialist Forces, leading members of the former Islamic Salvation Front
(notably Abbassi Madani
and Ali Belhadj
), and the newly formed organisation Rachad
called on their supporters to boycott these elections. The Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb
also issued a video calling participation in the elections "a great sin".
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
- the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
- and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. People's National Assembly
People's National Assembly
The People's National Assembly is the lower house of the Algerian Parliament. It is composed of 380 members directly elected by the population....
(al-Majlis al-Sha'abi al-Watani/Assemblé Populaire Nationale) has 380 members, elected for a five year term in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
. Eight seats in the national assembly are reserved for Algerians abroad. The Council of the Nation
Council of the Nation
The Council of the Nation is the upper house of the Algerian Parliament. It is composed of 144 members, 2/3 of which are elected indirectly and 1/3 of which are appointed by the president ....
(Majlis al-Umma/Conseil de la Nation) has 144 members, 96 members elected by communal councils and 48 members appointed by the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
.
Algeria has a multi-party system, with numerous parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties
Political Parties
Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy is a book by sociologist Robert Michels, published in 1911 , and first introducing the concept of iron law of oligarchy...
must work with each other to form coalition government
Coalition government
A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which several political parties cooperate. The usual reason given for this arrangement is that no party on its own can achieve a majority in the parliament...
s. According to the OSCE, Algerian elections are generally free and fair. According to US Embassy cables, the 2009 presidential elections were "carefully choreographed and heavily controlled", with the official turnout figure "exaggerated" by at least 45%.
Until 12 November 2008, presidents were limited to two terms; on this date, amendments to the constitution were passed with removed the term limits.
2009 Presidential election
2007 Legislative elections
These elections were marked by a turnout of 35%, the lowest of any Algerian election to date . The former ruling party, the FLNNational Liberation Front (Algeria)
The National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Algeria. It was set up on November 1, 1954 as a merger of other smaller groups, to obtain independence for Algeria from France.- Anticolonial struggle :...
, obtained the largest number of seats, with 136. It was followed by its two governing partners, the RND
National Rally for Democracy
The National Rally for Democracy is a political party in Algeria. It is led by Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia.The RND was founded on February 21, 1997. The party held its Second Congress on May 15–17, 2003....
, with 61, and the Islamist MSP
Movement of Society for Peace
The Movement for the Society of Peace is an Islamist party in Algeria, led until his 2003 death by Mahfoud Nahnah. Its current leader is Bouguerra Soltani. It is aligned with the international Muslim Brotherhood...
, with 52 seats. The latter parties gained seats at the expense of the FLN, which lost 38 seats in comparison with its result in 2002.
The radical leftist Workers' Party
Workers' Party (Algeria)
The Workers' Party is a Trotskyist political party in Algeria, closely linked with the Workers' Party of France. The party is led by Louisa Hanoune....
(PT) led by Louiza Hannoune obtained 26 seats, becoming the largest force in parliament after the governing coalition; the secularist Berber RCD
Rally for Culture and Democracy
The Rally for Culture and Democracy is a political party in Algeria. It promotes secularism and has its principal power base in Kabylia, a major Berber-speaking region...
obtained 19 seats, reentering parliament after a boycott in 2002 had left the party without representation there. The other Islamist party, Islah
Movement for National Reform
The Movement for National Reform is a moderate Islamist political party in Algeria. It received 9.5% of the vote in the 2002 elections and received 43 members of parliament....
(split, with one wing calling for a boycott of the election), lost heavily, maintaining only 3 seats, versus 43 in the previous parliament. Independents, with 33 seats (3 more than in the previous parliament), and a number of smaller parties shared the rest of the seats.
Several groups, notably the leftist Front of Socialist Forces, leading members of the former Islamic Salvation Front
Islamic Salvation Front
The Islamic Salvation Front is an outlawed Islamist political party in Algeria.-Goals:...
(notably Abbassi Madani
Abbassi Madani
Dr. Abbassi Madani was born in 1931 at Diyar Ben Aissa, Sidi Okba . He was the President of the Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria...
and Ali Belhadj
Ali Belhadj
Ali Belhadj was the Vice-President of the Islamic Salvation Front .Born in 1956 in Tunis to parents of Mauritanian origin from the wilaya of Adrar in Algeria, Belhadj became a teacher of Arabic and an Islamist activist in the 1970s...
), and the newly formed organisation Rachad
Rachad
Rachad is an Algerian political movement. Its stated objective is to "break with political practices in place since independence" and "establish a state in which the rule of law, democratic principles and good governance prevail" through non-violent means...
called on their supporters to boycott these elections. The Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb
Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb
The Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, previously known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat is a radical Islamist militia which aims to overthrow the Algerian government and institute an Islamic state. To that end, it is currently engaged in an insurgent campaign.The group...
also issued a video calling participation in the elections "a great sin".