Former Algerian Minister of Justice Mohamed Cherfi was elected today as chairman of the Independent High Electoral Commission, which was introduced for the first time in the country's history in preparation for a presidential ballot expected before the end of the year.
The announcement of the election of Sharafi by Karim Younes, coordinator of the mediation and dialogue, after a closed meeting of his team with members of the Committee, held this morning in the center of Algiers.
According to Younis, Sharafi was elected by members of the 50-member committee, officially called the National Independent Organization for the Organization of Elections, including judges, lawyers, legal experts and representatives of civil society.
"For the first time in the history of Algeria, this committee will be entrusted with organizing the elections without interference from the administration," Younes said. The interior and justice ministries have previously supervised the organization, with the support of a supervisory committee comprising judges and party representatives.
On the other hand, the Algerian presidency announced the signing of interim President Abdelkader Bensalah on the establishment of the Commission, along with amendments to the electoral law, after the vote of parliament, and a green light from the Constitutional Council.
It is noteworthy that the Algerian authorities have accelerated the pace of preparation of election texts in recent days, after calling on the Chief of Staff General Ahmed Qaid Saleh - early September this year - the need to organize presidential elections before the end of the year, "because the situation is not likely to delay."
On Friday, demonstrations were renewed in several Algerian cities as part of the popular movement in the country for more than six months, demanding the departure of the remnants of the regime of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in conjunction with the authorities begin to prepare for the presidential elections before the end of the year.