Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika called on the Algerian people to firmly and responsibly elect their representatives during legislative elections of May 10, to “take the country into the shore of the rule of law.”
Bouteflika delivered a speech on Sunday, mostly addressed to Abdelmajid Sidi Said, Secretary General of the General Union for Algerian Workers (UGTA), to mark the double anniversary of the creation of UGTA, and the nationalization of hydrocarbons. In his speech, he called on Algerians "to responsibly and firmly elect their representatives at the parliament in May legislative election, as to provide the country a National Assembly that met the trust of the people,” adding that such a National Assembly “will be mandated to participate, on behalf of the people, in the amendment of the constitution."
"This immense political and institutional (constitutional amendment) workshop is an opportunity for this young generation to appropriately take the task of inserting our country deeper in the process of modernization by consolidating the State and fortifying the nation in harmony with the globalization,” Bouteflika added.
The Algerian President said that through the "impressive scale and dimensions of the investment programs that the government has launched, so far, Algerians can notice the irrefutable will of the political leadership in terms of providing quality answers for questions being raised, and offer the lion share of the ongoing five-year development plan to the Youth, amid chaotic international environment, characterized by a severe economic crisis and a regional context in search for stability."
Bouteflika said that “this new approach, will be largely reinforced, in practice, by the deep political reforms being launched,” which will allow the North African nation “to achieve the stage of the rule of law, and yet widely open the door for the participation of citizens in taking crucial decisions, and also to elect their representatives at all institutions, including the local assemblies and the parliament.
On a different note, Secretary General of the ruling National Liberal Front (FLN) and personal representative of the Algerian President, Abdelaziz Belkhadem stated that the coming elections in Algeria are open to all possibilities.
Belkhadem indicated, in a statement to state radio, that the prospective he announced last year on the Islamists’ victory by a 30 - 40% of the parliamentary seats was merely a “prospective ratio” based on last year’s givens, before Islamists win the majority of parliament seats in Arab countries like Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco.
As for the Islamic model that would work best in Algeria, Belkhadem said that the Turkish model, praised by all, is a good attempt to prove that the Islamic movement can be developed and civilised and has turned to be a successful experience, however, he prefers following the Malaysian model, which he believes is closer to the “Algerian specificities.”
With regard to opening the Algerian Moroccan borders, Belkhadem stated that the borders will be open “one day”, saying “it is impossible that we remain back to back to no end,” indicating that the recent phase has seen “substantial convergence”.
Concerning the situation in Syria, Belkhadem criticised the Arab League’s stance, saying that it needs deep reconsideration.
"The Arab League is no longer a league and it is so far from being Arab as its name indicates since it asks the Security Council to interfere against one of its founding members and calls upon the NATO to destroy the resources of Arab countries," Belkhadem was quoted by the AFP as saying in an interview with an Algerian French-speaking radio station.
He stressed the need for putting an end to what is happening in Syria and for leaving the Syrians decide their future by themselves.