Algiers — The campaign for the June 12 legislative elections comes to a close on Tuesday. Over the last 20 days, party leaders and representatives of independent lists multiplied meetings and community activities to explain their programmes to voters.
All candidates have agreed on the “crucial” importance of the coming elections for the country’s stability and economic development, calling for high turnout.
The organic law on elections stipulates that “the electoral campaign is declared open 23 days before the date of the poll” and “ends 3 days before (this) date”. It states that “no one may, by any means and in any form whatsoever,” campaign outside the period provided for by law.
Chairman of the National Independent Election Authority (ANIE), the body which oversees the entire electoral process, Mohamed Charfi, said on Saturday that 6,098 activities have been organized during the electoral campaign since its launch on May 20.
He noted that 1,548 young candidates under 40 on independent lists benefited from aid worth more than DZD460 million. The State aid covers the expenses relating to the costs of printing documents, posting and advertising, renting rooms and transport, as provided for by law.
13,009 young candidates compete to obtain seat in Lower House
A total of 13,009 young people are candidates for the legislative elections, including 5,743 women, while the number of university-graduate candidates is 19,942, accounting for 74% of all candidates, he said.
The June 12 legislative elections to renew the 407 deputies due to sit for the next 5 years in the People’s National Assembly (Lower House) have been marked by an unprecedented trend: out the 1,483 lists of candidates competing, the number of the independent lists (837) is larger than the lists presented by political parties (646), which, according to observers, mirrors the will of the civil society to assume a more active role within the institutions.
Since May 20th, all the campaigners urged citizens to go massively to the polls in a view to consolidating the country’s stability in the current situation, marked by many challenges at national, regional and global level.
They called for standing in the way of maneuvers tending to hamper the ongoing recovery process. For several years, forces acting outside the constitutional framework have seized power to capture the financial resources of the state.
Restore role of Assembly members as lawmakers
The campaigners warned against “non constructive” abstention, urging the election of high qualified and honest deputies. They all called for restoring the role of the Assembly members as lawmakers, driving force of the economic growth and vehicle to discuss the citizens’ concerns.
The party leaders and independent candidates have underlined the need for building a national society-oriented and job-, and wealth- generating economy and reform our revenue-dependent economy. Local development, notably in the remote and marginalized areas was also discussed.
The Chairman of the ANIE said that all measures guaranteeing the transparency of the electoral campaign and the voting operation, and compliance with preventive measures against Coronavirus were taken.
A health prevention plan against Covid-19, concerning supervisors, centers and offices, has been set up in coordination with the Ministry of Health.
The legislative elections are held within the framework of new legal provisions. Unlike the previous elections, the 2021 election limit parliamentary terms to two and “encourages the participation of young people in political life”.
It also intends to “end money influence in the free choice of voters”.
Last February, President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced the dissolution of the People’s National Assembly and the organization of early legislative elections, saying that a profound change of the government will take place “depending on the outcome of the elections.”