Algeria begins early presidential election campaign

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Aug 2024 14:08

Three candidates are competing for the presidency, as per the Constitutional Council.

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A voter casts his ballot in Bouchaoui, on the outskirts of Algiers, during the 2021 parliamentary election. (AFP)

The election campaign for Algeria's early presidential elections, scheduled for September 7, has officially begun. According to the Constitutional Council, three candidates are competing for the presidency.

Incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is running as an independent candidate, while Yousef Aouchiche represents the Socialist Forces Front (FFS), and Cherif Boudflika stands for the Movement for Society and Peace (MSP). The campaign will focus on their respective platforms and visions for Algeria's future as they vie for the role of head of state.

The presidential candidates have kicked off their campaigns by detailing their programs designed to "drive development and ensure security and stability in the country," as per local media outlets.

Each candidate has unveiled their plans to guide Algeria over the next five years, setting the stage for a pivotal electoral battle.

Current President and candidate Abdelmadjid Tebboune has pledged to continue his social support policies, improve the purchasing power of Algerians, and enhance economic development in various aspects. He has committed to reviewing local municipal and provincial laws, expanding the powers of elected officials in local elections to strengthen democracy, and revising administrative divisions.

Tebboune's electoral program reportedly aims to enhance citizens' purchasing power through various initiatives, including tax reductions, a planned 100% increase in wages by 2027, improved pension benefits, and continued measures to combat financial inflation.

The incumbent president entered the race with backing from multiple political parties, primarily those in the parliamentary majority, as well as support from various civic organizations and associations.

Candidates outline their programs

Backing Tebboune, Secretary-General of the National Liberation Front (FLN) Abdelkrim Benmbarak and Rally for Hope (TAJ) President Fatima Zahra Rezouati have endorsed his candidacy, labeling him as the "man of the moment" and a "guarantor of national unity and security." They have emphasized the "urgent need for strong participation" in the upcoming presidential election.

Youcef Aouchiche, the Socialist Forces Front candidate, has outlined his campaign priorities as building a robust state and fostering trust between citizens and their government. He pledged that, if elected, he would focus on "restoring the dignity of the middle class" and enhancing citizens' purchasing power, along with committing to a "review of the minimum wage."

The MSP candidate, Cherif Boudflika, visited several symbolic locations and urged voters to "make the election a success, in defense of national sovereignty and unity," reminding them of his campaign slogan, "Opportunity," which he claims represents "a chance for all Algerians to bring about change."

Boudflika emphasized the importance of "ensuring the protection of political, union, and individual freedoms," promising to work towards making Algeria "a rising country enjoying development, stability, and prosperity," as well as focusing on the country's history "in continuation of the legacy of the martyrs and resistance heroes" and striving to establish a "diversified economy capable of achieving self-sufficiency and growth."

The presidency announced on March 21, following a special meeting chaired by President Tebboune and attended by the prime minister, the heads of both parliamentary chambers, the chief of staff of the Army, and the president of the Constitutional Council, that early presidential elections would be held on September 7, 2024.

Tebboune confirmed that the decision to move the presidential election forward by three months from its original date was made "for purely technical reasons."

It is worth noting that the National Independent Authority for Elections in Algeria has registered 24,351,551 Algerians in the electoral rolls, with 23,486,061 residing in Algeria and 865,490 abroad.