Legislative in Algeria: almost half of the lists present themselves as independent

2021-06-12T06:30:40.241Z

Algerians are being called to the polls this Saturday for early legislative elections, in order to choose the 407 deputies who will sit in the National People's Assembly for five years. A poll ...

Legislative in Algeria: almost half of the lists present themselves as independent

An Algerian looks at his phone in front of election posters for the legislative elections of June 12, 2021 in Algiers.

AFP - -

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Algerians are being called to the polls this Saturday for early legislative elections, in order to choose the 407 deputies who will sit in the National People's Assembly for five years.

A vote rejected by the Hirak and by part of the opposition.

Several parties such as the FFS, the Workers' Party and the RCD, have decided not to participate.

For the first time, however, a large number of independent candidates will take part.

Publicity

More than half of the competing lists present themselves as independent.

They are 837, according to figures from ANIE, the Elections Authority, quoted by the official APS news agency, and could emerge as a new force, while the power is in search of legitimacy.

Djamel Maafa is a journalist, and candidate on an independent list, in a constituency of the wilaya of Algiers. While opponents believe that this election does not respond to the crisis the country is going through, they believe in the possibility of reconciliation of Algerians with elected institutions.

“

We must not leave the field free. We are Algerians, we must also participate. I am against the empty chair policy, he

explains to our special

correspondent Magali Lagrange

I believe that we can change a lot of things. We need the support and participation of all goodwill. We have a democracy to build, a lot of challenges to take up. We cannot stand idly by and say no we are not going to go

”.

On Saturday, the 24 million voters will also be offered more than 600 lists made up of around thirty political parties including Jil Jadid, who

participated in the Hirak

, but is accused by some of having

moved

closer to power.

Its president, Soufiane Djilali believes that the conditions are met for a political transition, even if the change is not yet there.

The FLN and the RND, winners of the last legislative elections, but very weakened by the political crisis, also present lists, as do several Islamist parties.

►Also read: Algeria: three figures of the protest arrested before the legislative elections

Legislative in Algeria: almost half of the lists present themselves as independent

Legislative in Algeria: almost half of the lists present themselves as independent

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