Algeria holds presidential elections

2009-04-08

Algeria has made all necessary preparations for Thursday's presidential elections. The big unknown remains voter turnout.

By Said Jameh and Achira Mammeri for Magharebia in Algiers – 08/04/09

[Achira Mammeri] Algerians will vote for their new president on Thursday.

On Thursday (April 9th), Algerians will elect a new president to lead the country for the next five years. They have six choices: incumbent president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algerian National Front (FNA) Chairman Moussa Touati, Workers Party chief Louisa Hanoune, Ahd 54 Party head Ali Faouizi Rebaine, Islamist Movement for National Reform leader Mohamed Djahid Younsi and independent candidate Mohamed Said.

"The State established favourable conditions for free expression for all the candidates," Interior Minister Yazid Zerhouni told the press on Tuesday. "This freedom is guaranteed, even for those who badly overstepped the mark."

For some Algerians, voting is already under way. The Algerian expatriate community began casting their ballots last Saturday, while polls opened Sunday for travelling nomads in the desert provinces.

There will be 47,150 polling stations open to receive some 20 million voters: 2.5 million more than for the 2004 elections.

About 200 international observers representing the United Nations, the African Union, the Arab League, and the Islamic Conference Organization arrived in Algiers earlier this week.

For security reasons, authorities also took extensive measures to protect the electorate. Security agencies increased the number of checkpoints at the entries of cities and around polling stations. Al Khabar reported that the security agencies were using explosive detectors. Officers began prohibiting the entry of trucks and fuel transport tanks into cities on Tuesday and banned weekly markets on Wednesday. All sports and cultural and events usually scheduled on the weekends were also postponed.

"The remnants of terrorist elements may exploit the presidential election to carry out spectacular attacks after the painful blows that have been dealt to them by the different security agencies," Zerhouni explained.

Nevertheless, the election is taking place amidst fears of a major boycott from voters. Many citizens feel that the results have already been set.

Mohamed Djahid Younsi, who is running for the first time, expects a record turnout. He has called on young people to vote in large numbers on Thursday.

Rival candidate Mohamed Said also anticipates high voter participation compared to previous elections.

Djahid Younsi rejected the idea that the result may have already been resolved, saying that "the ballot box will determine who wins the presidential seat".

Candidate Moussa Touati agreed that all candidates have a chance. "Those who spread the news that the result has already been resolved in favour of a certain candidate want to dissuade voters from going to vote," he stated.

Zerhouni pointed out that "at this time, no-one has any way of determining the level of turnout."

"There are many indications that the ballot has captured the public’s imagination," he added.

He noted that 168,000 citizens have come "voluntarily" to update their personal details as part of the operation to revise the electoral roll, while only 24,000 citizens turned up for the same reason in 2004. This proves "public interest" in next Thursday’s presidential election, Zerhouni said.

The opposition and boycotters of the election, meanwhile, predict that the turnout will not be big. Karim Tabou, General Secretary of the Socialist Forces Front, expects that it will not exceed 10%.

Brahim Takheroubt, managing editor of the daily paper L’Expression, talked about "the trend of silence", when millions of Algerian voters chose to abstain at the last local and legislative elections. "This trend is clearly growing."

Takheroubt explained that their reasons include "disgust for all politicians", "the absence of trustworthy speakers and convincing arguments", and especially the revision of the constitution, which allowed an "unpopular" parliament to extend the president’s mandate.

"These elections will take place against a very unusual backdrop," he stated. "I refer, of course, to the revision of fundamental laws, passed without the backing of the public, since parliament was elected by just 30% of voters."

When asked, electors gave a wide range of opinions. Some believe that the turnout will be very low, and others expect citizens will show up in large numbers because the election is about their fate and future.

"Algerians will not vote because they have become tired of the false promises made by candidates," said 30-year old Reda, an employee in a private media and advertising company. "They are convinced that the election will not improve their living conditions."

Souhile, a university student, admitted: "I wasn’t all that struck by what I heard from the candidates. We want change. What I heard during the campaign left me unconvinced."

"The positive thing about this campaign is the fact that it enabled us to hear views other than those of the government," said Karim, 35. "The major media played a good game, opening up the airwaves to the opposition. It would be wonderful to see that continue."

Nessime, a student in the University of Algiers, said that young people, who make up the majority, would go in large numbers to the polling stations, as the elections will "help determine their future".