Algeria’s Accelerated Presidential Elections: Candidates’ Campaigns and Challenges

Mohamed El-Amin Ben Aouda, Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science and International Relations, Ghardaia University, Algeria

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The current Algerian elections are noteworthy for several reasons: they mark the second accelerated presidential elections in the history of independent Algeria and involve significant political forces, including the independent candidate Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the historical presence of the Socialist Forces Front (FFS) and the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP).

Introduction:

As August 2024 reached its midpoint, the campaign for Algeria’s accelerated presidential elections, scheduled for September 7, 2024, began. This election is of great importance for Algeria’s political system and the overall dynamics of its national political process. However, it also faces numerous challenges and stakes that will only be revealed by the outcomes of the election day. Researchers and those interested in Algerian politics are raising several questions, whether related to the overall political context, the reasons for advancing the election date, or the profiles of the competing candidates and their electoral programs aimed at winning votes across the country.

First: Accelerated Elections – What Political Context?

Since the start of the popular movement (Hirak) in Algeria on February 22, 2019, the national political scene has witnessed extensive dynamics and tensions centered around the restructuring of the country’s institutional and constitutional frameworks. The last presidential elections on December 12, 2019, marked the first steps in reviving Algeria’s political system under the leadership of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. His term was characterized by numerous challenges, stakes, and transformations across various fields. This scenario was at least anticipated by supporters of Algeria’s political authority, who believed that the state focused during this term on policies aimed at changing and eliminating behaviors associated with the previous regime, particularly after the Hirak. They also emphasized the significant difficulties faced during Tebboune’s presidency, such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and fluctuations in oil prices, given Algeria’s heavy reliance on oil revenues.

Algeria’s political events continued to evolve rapidly until the surprising official announcement of accelerated presidential elections on September 7, 2024, approximately three months earlier than originally scheduled for mid-December of the same year. June 8, 2024, was set as the date for calling the electorate. Various analyses have been made regarding the background and motives for this decision. However, the authorities quickly clarified that the decision stemmed from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s commitment to establishing the “stability” he has strived to secure since his election in 2019. Therefore, it was necessary to reconsider important electoral arrangements and schedules, returning them to their usual timings before the Hirak period and its “transitional” exceptional measures. Additionally, the president emphasized during a media interview that the state aims to restore its authoritative structure according to the traditions established in Algeria’s political system.

Historically, Algeria’s political system has experienced accelerated presidential elections, notably at the end of former President Liamine Zeroual’s term in 1999, which brought the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to power, where he ruled for two decades. However, the context of those elections differs significantly from the current situation, whether in terms of the balance of political power, local economic conditions, or the national and regional security environment. In this context, several important indicators characterize the general context surrounding the decision to hold accelerated presidential elections on September 7, 2024:

From the perspective of the current political authority, the early presidential elections are being held amidst clear regional geopolitical challenges. The Algerian National Radio’s analysis of the President’s decision highlighted Algeria’s presidency of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, alongside the instability affecting neighboring countries, particularly in the African Sahel region adjacent to Algeria’s southern borders. These issues accelerated the decision to hold these elections as a necessary step to reset Algeria’s electoral schedule to its traditional timing.

There has been an increase in statements and analyses, particularly in foreign media, suggesting the possibility of postponing Algeria’s most important electoral event. The Algerian Press Agency noted this issue when it published the president’s decision to bring the elections forward by three months. Notably, prior reports from foreign media, particularly French and Moroccan outlets, hinted at the possibility of delaying the elections due to internal power struggles within Algeria’s ruling elite regarding potential presidential candidates. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s decision to advance the elections refuted these claims, asserting that the elections would instead reinforce national unity against external plots.

Second: The Candidates’ Landscape

As the presidential election candidacy window opened, events unfolded rapidly in the Algerian political scene, significantly affecting the party landscape. The presidential election is the most critical event in Algeria’s political process, with the president’s role being central to the country’s governance structure since independence from French colonial rule in 1962. When analyzing the current candidates’ landscape, several recurring observations are apparent, similar to past presidential elections:

There is a diversity of ideological and doctrinal backgrounds among the candidates. The Algerian political scene includes various sensitivities, such as nationalist, democratic, secular, and Islamist forces.
The emergence of party and civil alliances supporting a specific presidential candidate, often the incumbent president, has become a tradition in presidential elections, particularly since the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika assumed power in 1999 and throughout his tenure until 2019.
The incumbent president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, tops the list of candidates. Analysts specializing in Algerian affairs often refer to the incumbent president as the “candidate of the regime,” indicating a general consensus among Algeria’s ruling institutions and actors on a particular candidate. In Algeria’s political history, no sitting president has ever failed to secure an additional term in any presidential race. Since Tebboune announced his intention to run for re-election on July 11, 2024, observers have analyzed the political scene, considering him the most formidable candidate and the one most likely to win the presidency. His announcement was preceded by the formation of political and societal alliances calling for his continued leadership, suggesting a broad and cohesive political front supporting Tebboune.

On the other hand, the current elections feature candidates from opposition parties. The candidate from the Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Youssef Ouchiche, is particularly noteworthy, given the party’s long political and activist history. The party’s participation is significant, considering it has boycotted most presidential elections since 1999, including the election from which its historical leader, the late Hocine Ait Ahmed, withdrew before election day along with other candidates. The party then limited its participation to legislative elections at the national and local levels.

While the FFS sees its positive participation as a political necessity, reflecting its intent to enter the political arena and compete for a significant role in Algeria’s governance, other “opposition” forces view this participation as an endorsement of the current regime and the entire political process. This stance is rejected by significant segments of Algeria’s political landscape, particularly those opposed to the institutional political process that emerged from the 2019 Hirak. Conversely, the authorities see it as a sign of healthy openness that could ensure the success of the upcoming elections in September.

Media reports have extensively analyzed the FFS’s participation through candidate Youssef Ouchiche, particularly considering the party’s strong base and representation in Algeria’s Kabylie region, which could increase voter turnout in the September election. This is especially significant when compared to the last presidential elections in 2019, where voter turnout in Tizi Ouzou province, for example, did not exceed 1%. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s visit to the same province on July 10, 2024, was described as successful, given the developmental projects launched and the popular reception he received.

Another significant political organization, the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), known as “Hamas,” nominated its leader Abdelali Hassani Cherif following in-depth consultations within the party’s Shura Council on May 25, 2024. The movement is a leading force in Algeria’s Islamist political spectrum, having actively participated in various elections, particularly legislative and local elections. Like the FFS, the current presidential elections mark the MSP’s return after being absent since the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s era. The last presidential election in which the MSP participated was in 1999, through its candidate and late leader, Sheikh Mahfoud Nahnah, who received 26.06% of the total votes. The election was won by former President Liamine Zeroual with 61.29%. MSP candidates often attract significant attention from observers due to the movement’s substantial popular base, which enables it to introduce a level of competitiveness against “regime candidates” in the elections.

On the other hand, the current presidential race is notable for the absence of female candidates. The most prominent of them was Louisa Hanoune, the leader of the Workers’ Party, who has traditionally represented both the female element among presidential hopefuls and the leading secular leftist forces. Hanoune withdrew from the race for various organizational and political reasons after initially expressing her desire to participate based on her party’s firm belief in the need for change and the presentation of an alternative political and economic approach to governance. Additionally, the Independent Election Authority rejected the candidacy of lawyer Zoubida Assoul from the opposition Union for Change and Progress party. Assoul was the first to express her intention to run, arguing that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s post-election period brought no significant improvements to the country’s economic and political situation. She viewed the current elections as an opportunity for change and for improving government performance in the upcoming presidential term.

Third: Electoral Programs and the Effort to Win Voters’ Support

The electoral campaign officially began on August 15, 2024, according to the schedule for Algeria’s upcoming presidential elections. Before this date, the campaign teams of the three candidates for the presidency of

the republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Youssef Ouchiche, and Abdelali Hassani Cherif, launched pre-election activities through media appearances and local rallies. Each team aimed to reach voters by highlighting their candidate’s program and the critical importance of the September 7 elections. A common feature of the current campaign is the emphasis on communicating with young voters, who constitute a significant portion of the electorate. Young people’s participation and their views on the election process have been a constant topic in various national media outlets since the elections were called.

Notably, the country’s ruling elite has focused on youth, given their leading role in the February 2019 Hirak, which led to the resignation of the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The Hirak has come to represent the spark for change and transformation in Algeria’s political process. Subsequently, youth issues were one of the critical themes in Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s electoral program in the 2019 elections, and they remain a central theme in his 2024 campaign. This year, Tebboune announced several measures aimed at improving the lives of young people, whether in terms of access to housing or initiatives to support young entrepreneurs through specific programs that he described as “innovative” during his participation in the summer university of Algerian youth in Annaba in late June 2024.

However, a notable feature of the 2024 presidential campaign is the presence of a dedicated youth agenda in the platforms of all candidates. In his election program, Youssef Ouchiche emphasized the need to give young people more leadership opportunities in both the political and economic spheres, in contrast to what he called the “status quo.” He also advocated for integrating youth into Algeria’s national policy-making process. The MSP candidate, Abdelali Hassani Cherif, similarly focused on young people and their critical role in shaping Algeria’s political future. His program addressed economic development and social stability, emphasizing the importance of enabling young people to participate in development projects and improving the country’s overall economic conditions.

A final observation concerns the focus on regionalism in the presidential campaigns, with attention given to key national issues. This includes security concerns, particularly in light of the complex situation in the Sahel region. Several challenges lie ahead for the next Algerian president, whether related to the ongoing economic crisis exacerbated by fluctuating oil prices, the need to diversify income sources and expand exports, or addressing security and political instability in neighboring countries. Such issues have made the September 7 elections not just about electing a new president but also about the candidate’s ability to manage these complex issues.

In conclusion, the upcoming presidential elections will represent a decisive moment in Algeria’s political history, requiring all candidates to address these issues and offer comprehensive and realistic programs that reflect the aspirations of Algerian voters. The outcome of these elections will undoubtedly shape the future trajectory of the country’s political process.

References

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