Five candidates challenge Bouteflika in presidential election
2009-03-04
The Algerian Constitutional Council announced the final six candidates to run for the presidential elections.
By Said Jameh for Magharebia in Algiers – 04/03/09
 [Getty Images] President Bouteflika reportedly received 4 million signatures of support from Algerian voters. |
Five candidates will challenge sitting President Abdelaziz Bouteflika for Algeria's highest office when voters take to the polls on April 9th. The Constitutional Council revealed the final list on Tuesday (March 3rd), having reduced the list of contenders from 13 to 6.
The abbreviated final list includes Moussa Touati, president of the Algerian National Front (FNA), Louisa Hanoune, head of the Workers' Party and the only woman on the list, Mohamed Ali Fawzi Rebaine of the AHD 54 party, Belaid Mohand Oussaid (alias Mohamed Said), leader of the unsponsored Party of Freedom and Justice (PLJ), and Mohamed Djahid Younsi of the El-Islah movement.
Upon announcing the final list of candidates, Council head Bouelam Bessayeh described some dismissed hopefuls as "not serious" and failing to meet all requirements.
In accordance with electoral law, each successful candidate must collect at least 600 signatures from elected officials in 25 or more of Algeria's 48 provinces, and an additional 75,000 signatures from voters.
The final list contained no surprises. The signature threshold for nomination guarantees the presence of candidates with widespread appeal. President Bouteflika is by far the most popular of the six; he managed to collect 11,000 officials' signatures and 4 million from citizens.
If elected, this will be Bouteflika's third term in office, courtesy of a controversial amendment to Article 74 of the constitution passed last November.
For Louisa Hanoune, the 2009 campaign is her second, after an unsuccessful bid to unseat Bouteflika in 2004.
Moussa Touati of the FNA and Ali Faouzi Rebaine of AHD 54 represent the more nationalist element in Algerian party politics. Independent candidate Mohamed Said and Mohamed Djahid Younsi of El-Islah represent the Islamist trend.
The presidential campaign will run from March 19th through April 7th, two days before Election Day.
Abdelmalek Sellal, head of the presidential campaign office, said that the Constitutional Council announcing the list of candidates is a sign indicating that Algeria has taken big leaps along the course of democracy and is intent on presenting an ambitious programme that will convince millions of citizens.
Moussa Touati expressed his joy for having overcome the Constitutional Council challenge, describing that as a personal as well as a popular victory. He urged citizens to vote for change rather than continuity.
Moussa Brahimi, spokesman for Mohamed Djahid Younsi, said his organisation was awaiting this first test in the course of the elections, and promised to lead a presidential campaign capable of attracting voters.
Mohamed Said called on his supporters to turn out and vote in force on April 9th.
Ramdane Tazibte of the Workers' Party said that Louisa Hanoune enjoys considerable popularity and that her nomination by the Constitutional Council did not come as a surprise.
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maghrebihi Posted 2009-03-05
You say “elections”!? Sorry! I thought that this was a scene from “Romeo and Bou-President” (minus the “Teflika” - because the people in this case have become “Teflika”, i.e., not there). And, Juliet is the throne, and I do mean “throne”. And, everyone else is just an extra, as Hollywood democracy would have it be.
Anonymous Posted 2009-03-06
The presidential election in Algeria has been well prepared and the governmental candidates have more than used all the country’s means. All of the organisations that support the governmental candidates have paid in one way or another. -Mohamed
محمد عبد الوهاب Posted 2009-03-18
In the name of God the most gracious the most merciful. I am your brother Mohamed Abdelouhab. I have a problematic which I cannot understand. Why do we elect the president? It is clear that he is Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Why is the state wasting money in the electoral campaign now the consciences of people and their personalities in addition to the promises of president Abdelaziz Bouteflika. But the oddest thing is that there are people who rival him or rather accept to be lab mice. To the dear reader, be careful about, my words do not support a party or side. This is a personal opinion. The elections are clear and the president or rather the president candidate is clear. Rivals are just lab mice. So I hope that you deeply consider your vote. You should know that every person has the right to vote or abstain from voting. Moreover, they are distorting the truth when they say that it is a duty. Your duty is not to vote because your opinion is clear whether you want it or not Bouteflika is the president; his followers are decision-makers. So I hope that you sit in your house, consider the positive aspects about Bouteflika, was it him who achieved this or oil? Or is it in reality the project of Zeroual. My dear brother, your voice is a trust so preserve it. My dear brother, do not be deceived by the fact that Bouteflika increased wages because potatoes is 60 Algerian dinars. My dear brother, it is an operation to buy the consciences. It is an operation to exterminate your personality…Have the wombs of our mothers became barren from giving birth to someone better than the president candidate…By God, no. But who is the real president who prevented people from running as candidates? Or is it clear? This is why only rabbits are running. But they appear only from every 5 billions to 5 billions. Oh people of a million and half a million martyrs. Oh, your brother Mohamed from Ain El Bida. To be continued.
قديروف الجزائري Posted 2009-03-19
In the name of God the most gracious the most merciful...Peace and prayer be upon the last prophet...I am a secondary student in the secondary school Abou Al Hassan Al Achari, Bechar. I would like to write to the Algerian people, especially.
هند الجزائرية Posted 2009-03-20
At least now we are sure that there is no one better than Bouteflika. Therefore we congratulate him in advance; this is a fact because the people owe a lot to this president who took out Algeria from a big whirlwind. He brought out Algeria to the world as the oppressive terrorism was trying to isolate it from the world. Oh Algerians, terrorism nearly destroyed us gradually. Therefore, I said that Bouteflika is the appropriate president at least now. A new generation, which has been insulting for long the previous generation, will come, liberate Algeria, drive it forward and lift high the head of Algeria. We won’t regret one day having chosen Bouteflika in spite of some pitfalls which occurred during his presidency such as plundering and other things. But at least they have acknowledged that unlike in the past. At least we are set towards a better future courtesy of Bouteflika.
mourad Posted 2009-03-24
salam algeria its big & if you live us in peace it will be nice MR bouteflika its the only one who can build the contry because his "" chebaane "" but if we bring an other one he come "" jiaane "" so live bouteflika in peace and we know our enemy very well if he is from inside or from outside any where you go you find good neighbours and a bad neighbour but some neighbours they don't want te see algeria happy they always whant to do some ""grigri"" near our door but don't worry we are big MR bouteflika his a big man & MR ouyahia also hos a big man they know better then us so let the work & vote for MR bouteflika god bless algeria "" allah yerham el chouhada "" VIVE L'ALGERIE.
الونشريسي Posted 2009-03-27
What France did in Algeria was not done by Israel in Gaza...history is distorted? The only man who knows Algeria is the ruler Boumediene, may God rest his soul.
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