FLN carries Algeria’s legislative elections
2007-05-18
The National Liberation Front (FLN) carried Algeria’s May 17th legislative elections, keeping 136 of the 389 seats in the National People’s Assembly. The new parliament appears ready to move forward, despite low voter turnout and allegations of election fraud.
By Nazim Fethi and Boualam Senhadji for Magharebia in Algiers – 18/05/2007
 [Getty Images] Interior Minister Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni announces the results of the May 17th parliamentary elections. |
The National Liberation Front (FLN) won the legislative elections of May 17th. The party retained 136 seats in the 389-seat National People’s Assembly, short of the 177 required for a parliamentary majority. Nonetheless, the FLN finished far ahead of the two other parties in the presidential coalition. The National Rally for Democracy (RND) and the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) took second and third place with 61 and 52 seats, respectively.
Independent lists captured 33 seats, placing them in fourth place. The Workers’ Party (PT) obtained 26 seats, and the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) took 19.
The election was fatal for the El Islah Movement, which took only three seats, a crushing blow after a third-place finish in 2002. The party's poor performance has been attributed to an internal crisis on the eve of the elections which resulted in the departure of party founder Abdallah Djaballah.
The return of the RCD after its boycott of the 2002 elections was significant. But although the party earned 19 seats, it was unable to form a parliamentary bloc, which requires a minimum of 20 seats. A number of other parties earned from one to 13 seats, while two parties participating in the elections received no seats at all.
 [Boualam Senhadji] Algerian citizens celebrate the FLN victory. |
Only 36.51% of registered voters cast their ballots on Thursday, significantly less than the 46.17% which participated in the 2002 legislative elections. But despite the low turnout, party officials spoke out in support of the election results.
Speaking on behalf of the Workers’ Party, Louisa Hanoune declared the election "a victory for democracy".
MSP president Bougerra Soltani, disagreed, decrying what he called "massive fraud". His party had expected to win 30% of the available seats.
Interior Minister Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni downplayed allegations of irregularities and manipulations, stating they only concerned a small number of stations. He stressed that the government had taken effective measures to ensure transparency, and that any problems had been corrected rapidly.
FLN leader and current Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem stressed that any problems in the voting process were minimal and that they had zero influence on the results of the vote count. Belkhadem then insisted that the Constitutional Council is "the only authority empowered to pass judgement as to whether any irregularities have occurred."
Ahmed Ouyahia, leader of the National Rally for Democracy (RND), announced that his party had observed "anomalies here and there", but would not "read too much into them". The former prime minister added that there is no "deliberate intention on the part of the government to subvert the decision of the public".
Zerhouni announced the official results on Friday (May 18th), saying that the feeble voter participation in the election "reflected the fact that people have come to expect a great deal".
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hosni /ma Posted 2007-05-18
Elections in Algeria aren't democratic, two thirds of the population have not voted, this means that they're not at all happy with the whole process, there's a wide difference between us and the west. Let's wait, and we're all in the same trouble from the Machreq to the Maghreb, and to the next fabricated elections
dahmani Posted 2007-05-18
Lies must be paid for, my dear leaders. Speak the truth and you will get credit for it. Long live the people! Long live my homeland!
أبو أحمد Posted 2007-05-18
The legislative elections in Algeria are fake, there's no democracy here, there's no democracy in the Arab world. After the elimination of Jaballah, then comes the falsification of wood boxes, for example in the wilaya of Tamanrasset, the state party the Liberation Front has fallen, they didn't appreciate that so they push it forward in front of five candidates; while the number of voices it received didn't exceed one thousand, here are their names in detail, the top of the list the liberation front Mahmoud Komama, he was pushed forward in front of Touhami Abdelkarim, Dahmani Hamza, Zenani Boujemaa, Khoulou Touha, Idi Boucha, and it was the one to be removed, and this is just a small sample from other samples. Finally I withdrew from elections and I will never vote, thank you.
sera Posted 2007-05-19
I am Turkish, but of Algerian origin. I obviously voted. I am happy with the FLN results. I hope that we will once again, see our country return to the way it was. Good luck to you all and may God protect you. –S.A.Y.
Massinissa Posted 2007-05-19
I can’t stand this any more, talk, talk, nothing but talk. Really, we are getting tired of your promises and your projects that never come to light. We want something concrete.
هواري محمد Posted 2007-05-19
Given the conditions of the Algerian people and non-achievemnt of anything which people wanted to see in real life in the wilayas, so there was no more trust in some parliamentarians, the result is the low voting which crowned these eelctions, 36.51 long live Algeria independent and free
Anonymous Posted 2007-05-20
This is nothing more than an electoral travesty!
fadila Posted 2007-05-21
Algerian society will never be able to change as long as the hypocrites and thieves stay in power.
rachid Posted 2007-05-22
To all Algerian nationals living in France: I did not receive any information from the consulate on the 2007 congressional elections. Gangsters are in charge here. Leaders who think of nothing but their own interests have mucked up our democracy, and I would like to see them dead like Saddam.
شهرزاد Posted 2007-05-23
I think that those who didn't vote prejudice this nation because in my opinion as Algerian citizen not belonging to any party, the Algerian people should have voted for all those who support the program of the president, because the people are concerned about the supreme interest of the nation, Mr the president was and is still sincere and faithful and will remain faithful with the help of God. The people shouldn't be ungrateful to the achievements and material and moral acquisitions.
mohamed Posted 2007-05-31
Hi, I am from the FLN. I congratulate you for the your great work, only I would like you to report on the parasitic terrorists in the administration such as all the Daira in Algeria. (For example, in Daira, Taougrite, the representative of the FLN, by the name of Ghebech Yahia at the position of APW Chlef Wilaya, is a saboteur and thief, speaking in the name of the sons of Chachid.) Please stop them quickly.
Selyan Posted 2007-06-02
The election boycotted by the citizens, who no longer believe in politics of elections rigged on multiple occasions, give no expectations to the deputies who newly elected to office to represent the people. If they were questioned on their legitimacy, they would have to make account that they simply just do not have legitimacy! So what good is there in being a deputy. How do we form a counterweight to the executives? And how do we control the executives to whom the majority of deputies owe their elections? When the president makes decision, the APN executes, what then is the purpose of a ballot in the face of a legislative government. The report given above is evidence, but what can it change. A revolution? Impossible, Algeria is divided. Institutional reform? This would be in vain. Internationalisation? Foreigners are accomplices to what is going on in Algeria. From all this, a solution can only come about in a different manner. We must wait, wait until the Berbers remember this demons! Of course, this will be a good solution. Only in as much that regime will could longer perpetuate itself. Tomorrow’s Algeria will not be in the hands of the current (military) leaders, but in those of their children, who will take control of the Algerian economy and who, by their own right, chose Sarkozy as a representative. It is like this in Algeria (and in other places): the people’s and the government’s words are in opposition! Oh how I miss the Algeria of 1962
بلال من مدينة شلغوم العيد Posted 2007-06-13
If there were men in our city, victory would have been for FLN but the fools were on the side of FLN, the agent of the office and his mercenaries were opposing the list, and with the will of God the party has won, God is great Who makes changes and never changes.
khorchef66 Posted 2007-10-02
From: Mr Kharchaf Ben Brahim – a militant – teacher in the technical school of Chadli, Faranda To: The Secretary-General of the FLN Subject: Resignation from the party. It is with regret that I submit to you this resignation from the party, due to the abuses and the method of selection of candidates for the coming local elections of the municipality of Faranda (November 2007) by the province of Tiraet, which did not take into consideration the duration of activism nor the educational and intellectual level. I inform you, Mr. Secretary-General that I was a candidate for the previous local elections in 2002, I was ranked seventh by the province in the municipality of Faranda, but was not lucky. I ask you Sir to verify the proposed list and that my name is not on it, for the people who are selected represent only themselves and serve only their interests. Sorry if I’m wrong. Salam alaikoum. Thank you.
زيغود يوسف Posted 2007-11-03
I’m from the town of 1000 martyrs, the town of Zighoud Youssef, province of Constantine, member of the National Front of Destruction. I comment and say that the opinions adopted by some if not all Algerian politicians begining Belkhadem and Zerhouni and some military leaders to starve, kill and oppress the Algerian people is an unforgivable crime. The oppression and killing practiced in Algeria were never seen by the people even during the revolution. The violation of their sanctities was not even experienced during the French colonization. They say that France has committed crimes and they forget their crimes. All those who exercise power are traitors because they have followed the deadly current. What policy, planning and management is that if the price of oil has tripled but the living conditions of the Algerian people are deteriorating. The people are aspiring to a better life, but they can do nothing. The black decade experienced by Algeria isn’t the action of the people but it was fabricated by a category who wants the conditions to go to the worst so that their deeds are never uncovered, because they are a mafia deeply-rooted in Algeria and it goes back to over a century. So I tell you, Help Help Help. I hope that my article will be published. Salam alaikoum.
بلهادف عمر من اولف ولاية ادرار Posted 2007-11-17
Salam, a special call to all the Algerian people. We ask your honour, our respectable society to go to the ballot centres on 29-11-2007 to vote. Your votes are a trust, and you’ll be accountable for it before God on the day of judgement. I ask you to choose those whom you trust and the good of the nation and the people, stay away of the evil and discriminatory ideas spread by those who don’t have a conscience, don’t listen to them because they’re lovers of problems and gossip. They want to drive the country with their ideas to the abyss and stay away of the project of the president of the republic of peace, civil entente and national reconciliation.
houari dauphin Posted 2007-11-19
LONG LIVE FLN IN FRENDA WILYA TIARET AND BENASLA AHMED+FNA BELHOUARI THANK YOU, BE NUMerous.
ammar Posted 2007-11-29
Long Live the FLN! Long Live Algeria! The victory of the FLN is the victory of the people who chose them! This makes us so happy!
yacine Posted 2007-11-30
Long live the FLN, a call to his Excellency the president of the republic. Mr president, what’s happening in the town of Frinda, the second biggest province in the Wilaya of Tiaret, is a masquerade. I ask you to interfere to support the right and the revolution party against gangs and drugs which spread corruption and bawdry, stir tension among the people, knowing that a member of the National People Assembly, which issues laws for the country, is behind that...And call to investigate on what happened on the day of elections, these gangs attacked the voters on the day of elections and intimidated them with white weapons in order to vote for number 9 with the plot of security forces with these gangs. This is a serious violation…We don’t accept the rule of the mercenaries, sons of bars and drugs. Mr president, we wish you success and a third mandate inchallah. Those who aren’t jealous for Algeria, have no conscience and don’t fear God. But these are fates, God promotes those He chooses.
tix oran Posted 2007-11-30
I do not know if my comment will be read by the leaders, but there is one thing I am sure of: I do not regret abstaining from the vote. I, my family, my friends, and—I can keep going—my entire neighbourhood did not vote. All Algerian people understand the reason: there is no place for us since the arrival of Bouteflika in this regime-gone-bananas. The people live in the misery of the 1940s: illnesses eradicated by man and the help of God are reappearing, the rich are getting richer, the poor get poorer and poorer, sharp teeth dig deep into us, devouring the FLESH of the poor people. I have nothing to say, except to ask if in your hearts, dear Leaders, are you even aware of what you are doing? “Yes” is the response. I feel like vomiting when I see the people of my city, ORAN (which I wil discuss in another comment), become our leaders while they are not even in charge of their own family, of their own children. They just run around with their beautiful cars and wads of cash stuffed in their pockets. All the while the native inhabitants of El Hamri, Mediouini, Derb Planteur Mdine Ejdida, and their likes, are struggling just to keep a roof over their humble homes so that it does not fall on their heads and the heads of their children. Dear delegates, Dear members of the APW of Oran and whatever other cities, SHAME ON YOU! The Chouhadas of Oran— the the good ones, not the throw-aways- the people of Oran will always remember you, and even if they may sleep, ALLAH never does. –Until next time.
tix oran Posted 2007-11-30
Ammar, how much did they pay you? If you want to say the people chose, then exclude me, my family, my friend and my entire neighbourhood from your statement: we did not vote.
حميد من الشلف Posted 2007-11-30
Long live the Movement of the Society for Peace because they're men who serve the nation.
محمد الصبحة Posted 2007-11-30
Long live the provincial office of Hamas in Chelf.
amir Posted 2007-12-01
For those who did not vote, it would be better if you left this country: it belongs to Algerians. Those people who don’t give a damn about voting are the same people who wait around for things to be handed to them on a golden platter. Long Live Algeria, whatever the consequences, whatever the result. I voted and I am proud to be an Algerian.
Mohamed Posted 2007-12-01
I do not see why everyone is always interested in politics, when we all know that here there is nothing but problems. The people are living in misery and yet they always speak about politics. This is lamentable. I would rather go work in the market than sit around out talking about “pol’tics” because I cannot even pronounce the word “politics” correctly.
حميد الصبحة Posted 2008-01-31
We are with the Movement for Peace whether oppressing or oppressed because all its activists are good without exception.
حكيم Posted 2008-06-13
Elections in Algeria are just a waste of money and the people have never any opinion in them.
عبدو Posted 2008-07-13
Long live the district of the National Liberation Front of the province of Chelf. Long live Lahn Mahyouss, our leader and father Youssef Nahit. We congratulate you for the great activist work. We thank you. We wish you more success.
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