Algeria's Independent Electoral Authority announced on Saturday the admission of five candidates for the presidential race slated for December 12 from 23 applicants. The list included two prime ministers from outgoing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
The President of the Independent Electoral Authority, Mohamed Sharafi, held a press conference in which he mentioned the names of the five candidates whose candidatures were accepted, namely former Prime Ministers Abdelmajid Taboun and Ali Benflis, Secretary General of the National Democratic Rally and former Minister of Culture Ezzedine Mihoubi, President of the Future Front Abdelaziz Belaid and President The National Building Movement Abdelkader Ben Kreina.
The list of five candidates came from a total of 23 candidates who submitted their files to the PNA.
He added that the lack of quorum of the power of attorneys was the first reason for dropping most of the other files, as it is required to collect 50,000 forms signed by citizens registered on the electoral lists, to be distributed to 25 of the 48 states in Algeria.
Among the applicants whose files were rejected were former minister Abdelkader Sahli, head of the Republican National Party, who supported Bouteflika even after the protest movement began on February 22.
According to the election law, those whose files have been rejected can appeal to the Constitutional Council (Constitutional Court), which will announce the final list within a week.
In recent weeks, protesters have been calling for elections to be postponed, arguing that conditions are not ripe for them to be held before corruption is eradicated and all former regime figures have been expelled from power.
On Thursday evening, Algerian interim President Abdelkader Bensalah addressed the people, calling on them to contribute to the success of the presidential elections, warning that the state will confront what he called maneuvers by some quarters to block it.
The army chief of staff, Ahmed Kayed Saleh, said on Wednesday that the elections would be held in time to thwart the plans of the gang and its tails who are accustomed to political blackmail, he said, referring to senior officials in the Bouteflika regime.