Politics of Algeria

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Politics of Algeria

السياسة الجزائرية
Polity type Unitary semi‑presidential constitutional republic
Constitution Constitution of People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Legislative branch
Name Parliament
Type Bicameral
Meeting placeNations Palace
Upper house
Name Council of the Nation
Presiding officer Salah Goudjil, President of the Council of the Nation
Appointer Indirect election
Lower house
Name People's National Assembly
Presiding officer Ibrahim Boughali, President of the People's National Assembly
AppointerDirect popular vote (two rounds if necessary)
Executive branch
Head of State
Title President
Currently Abdelmadjid Tebboune
AppointerDirect popular vote (two rounds if necessary)
Head of Government
Title Prime Minister
Currently Nadir Larbaoui
Appointer President
Cabinet
Name Council of Ministers of Algeria
Current cabinet Larbaoui government
LeaderPrime Minister
AppointerPresident of the Republic
HeadquartersGovernment Palace
Ministries32
Judicial branch
Name Judiciary of Algeria
Council of State
Chief judge Farida Benyahia
Superior Committee of Justice
Chief judgePresident of the Republic
Constitutional Court
Chief judge Kamel Fenniche
Supreme Court
Chief judge Abdelrrachid Tabbi

Politics of Algeria takes place in a framework of a constitutional semi-presidential republic, whereby the President of Algeria is head of state while the Prime Minister of Algeria is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the People's National Assembly and the Council of the Nation.

Since the early 1990s, a shift from a socialist to a free market economy has been ongoing with official support.

History

The civil war resulted in more than 100,000 deaths since 1991. However, Algerians believe that the national death count was close to 3,000,000. Although the security situation in the country has greatly improved, addressing the underlying issues which brought about the political turmoil of the 1990s remains the government's major task. The government officially lifted the state of emergency declared in 1999. [1]

Constitution

Under the 1976 Constitution (as modified 1979, and amended in 1988, 1989, and 1996) Algeria is a multi-party state. All parties must be approved by the Ministry of the Interior. To date, Algeria has had more than 40 legal political parties. According to the Constitution, no political association may be formed if it is "based on differences in religion, language, race, gender, or region."

Executive branch

The head of state is the President of the republic, who is elected to a five-year term, renewable once (changed by the 2008 Constitution to an infinite mandate but reinstated in 2016). Algeria has universal suffrage. The President is the head of the Council of Ministers and of the High Security Council. He appoints the Prime Minister who also is the head of government. The Prime Minister appoints the Council of Ministers.

Main office-holders
OfficeNamePartySince
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune Independent 19 December 2019
Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui Independent 11 November 2023

Parliament of Algeria

People's National Assembly

People's National Assembly building (Algiers). Assemblee populaire nationale (Algerie).jpg
People's National Assembly building (Algiers).

The People's National Assembly has less power relative to the executive branch than many parliaments and has been described as "rubber-stamping" laws proposed by the president. [2]

As of 2012 there were 462 seats in parliament. In the May 2012 election the government reported a 42.9% turnout, though the BBC reported that correspondents saw "only a trickle of voters" at polling places. [2] In that election 44 political parties participated with the ruling National Liberation Front winning more than any other group—220 seats—and an alliance of moderate Islamists coming in second with 66 seats. The Islamists disputed the results. [3]

Council of the Nation

Political parties and elections

In keeping with its amended Constitution, the Algerian Government espouses participatory democracy and free-market competition. The government has stated that it will continue to open the political process and encourage the creation of political institutions. More than 40 political parties, representing a wide segment of the population, are currently active in Algerian national politics. The most recent legislative election was 2012. President Bouteflika pledged to restructure the state as part of his overall reform efforts. However, no specifics are yet available as to how such reforms would affect political structures and the political process itself.

In the 2002 elections, there were 17,951,127 eligible voters, and 8,288,536 of them actually voted which made a turn out of 46.17%. Out of the ballots cast, there were 867,669 void ballots according to the Interior ministry and 7,420,867 which went to the various candidates.

Legislative elections

The most recent legislative election now is the 2017 one:

PartyVotes%Seats+/-
National Liberation Front 1,681,32125.99164–44
National Rally for Democracy 964,56014.91100+32
MSPFC 393,6326.0933
Rally for Hope for Algeria 270,1124.1819New
Future Front 265,5644.1114+12
Algerian Popular Movement 241,0873.7313+6
EnnahdaFJD 239,1483.7015
Workers' Party 191,9652.9711–13
Socialist Forces Front 152,4892.3614–13
National Republican Alliance 121,1561.876+4
Freedom and Justice Party 88,4181.372
New Dawn 82,9931.281
Dignity Party 81,1801.263
Movement for National Reform 77,2901.191
El Fath 69,0631.071
Rally for Culture and Democracy 65,8411.029+9
National Front for Social Justice 63,8270.991
Party of Youth 63,6820.982
Movement of National Understanding 51,9600.804
New Algeria Front 49,4130.761
Independante El Wihda 42,7570.663
Ahd 54 42,1600.652–1
Republican Patriotic Rally 40,6450.6320
El-Infitah Movement 38,0610.5911
National Struggle Front 34,6950.542
Union of Democratic and Social Forces 33,3720.521–2
National Front for Freedom 31,9760.491
Free Democratic Front 28,7900.452
National Party for Solidarity and Development 28,6170.442–2
Party of Algerian Renewal 24,5840.3810
National Assembly Union 17,5770.271
El Taouasol 16,3340.251
National Union for Development 15,0370.231
El Hillal 14,5820.231
National Movement of Algerian Workers 14,3690.221
Movement of Free Citizens 14,0850.2210
Equity and Proclamation Party 13,4000.211
Hope and Work 12,8030.201
Nidaa El Awfiaa 12,2240.191
El Wafa Wa Tawassol 12,1700.191
El Wihda Oua Ettadaoul 10,7710.171
El Wafa 10,5610.161
Voice of the People 9,8310.151
Abnaa Echaab 9,4270.151
El Ouancharisse 9,0460.142
En Nadjah 9,0190.141
El Ichrak 8,9010.141
El Moubadara 8,6620.131
Elamel 8,3880.131
Al Kafaa Wal Masdakia 7,8560.121
Old Ksar 7,1490.111
Sawt Echaab 6,6520.101
Izewran Independent List 6,4020.101
El Amel 6,3610.101
Independent Citizen Alternative List 5,9770.091
El Darrouri 5,6750.091
Forsane Ouargla 5,4140.081
El Badr 5,1610.081
El Noor 4,5490.071
Citizen Initiative 4,3090.071
Algerian National Front 615,1309.510–9
Other parties0
Invalid/blank votes1,757,043
Total8,225,2231004620
Registered voters/turnout23,251,50337.37
Source: Constitutional Council

Presidential elections

CandidatePartyVotes%
Abdelmadjid Tebboune Independent4,945,11658.15
Abdelkader Bengrina El Binaa1,477,73517.38
Ali Benflis Talaie El Houriyate896,93410.55
Azzedine Mihoubi Democratic National Rally 617,7537.26
Abdelaziz Belaïd El Moustakbal Front566,8086.66
Spoiled ballots1,243,458
Disputed votes11,588
Total valid votes8,504,346100
Total (valid + spoiled)9,759,392
Registered voters and percent turnout24,474,16139.88
Source: APS

Administrative divisions

Algeria is divided into 58 wilaya (province) headed by walis (governors) who report to the Minister of Interior. Each wilaya is further divided into daïras, themselves divided in communes. The wilayas and communes are each governed by an elected assembly.

Media

Algeria has more than 30 daily newspapers published in French and Arabic, with a total publication run of more than 1.5 million copies. Although relatively free to write as they choose, in 2001, the government amended the penal code provisions relating to defamation and slander, a step widely viewed as an effort to rein in the press. Government monopoly of newsprint and advertising is seen as another means to influence the press, although it has permitted newspapers to create their own printing distribution networks.

See also List of Algerian newspapers.

International organization participation

AU, ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, International Maritime Organization, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, INTOSAI, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (applicant)

See also

Notes

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    References

    1. Chikhi, Lamine (2011-01-21). "Algeria army should quit politics: opposition". Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on 2012-01-19. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
    2. 1 2 Algeria votes in parliamentary elections Archived 2019-04-15 at the Wayback Machine 10 May 2012
    3. Ruling Party Wins Big in Algerian Elections| voanews.com| May 11, 2012