Algerian boycotters call citizens for not participating in elections

Boycotters of Algerian parliamentary elections intensified their campaigns in the different provinces calling the citizens for boycotting the coming elections scheduled to be held on May 4 despite the siege imposed against them by the government during the recent days. They launched campaigns in the streets to meet with citizens and to explain the reasons behind their call for boycotting the elections.

The Algerian government, on its hand, prevented the boycotters’ activities, as it criminalized the calls for boycotting the parliamentary elections, describing such approach as illegal. Algeria’s Minister of Information issued a statement preventing media channels and newspapers from allowing the boycotters to promote frustration among the citizens.

A wave of anger dominated Algerian ruling party after the release of electoral lists scheduled to run for the coming parliamentary elections due to the domination of businesspersons on these lists. The current anger pushed Algeria’s Prime Minister Abdel Malek Salal, as one of the party’s historic leaders, to participate in rallying supporters behind National Liberation Front.

The Algerian official decided to participate in the electoral campaign of his party, as he intensified his tours among the Algerian provinces to convince the citizens to participate in the coming elections scheduled to be held on May 4. The prime minister’s tours came the framework of field follow-up of the projects adopted by the government, while carrying electoral objectives.

On the other hand, The recent statement issued by Algeria’s Ministry of Religious affairs to urge the citizens to participate in the parliamentary elections scheduled to be held on May 4 raised a state of controversy, as a number of politicians described the clerics’ involvement in the political process as a violation against the Algerian constitution, while others said that the statement comes in the framework of the role that should be performed by the Algerian government.

Algerian opponents accused the Algerian government of attempting to use the mosques to achieve political interests at the expense of citizens. Chairperson of independent National Council of Preachers Jamal Ghoul stressed his refusal to the use of mosques in politics, saying that the use of Friday’s Sermons to urge citizens to vote during the coming elections is considered an attempt to politicize the religious platforms.

Leading member of National Construction Movement Fareed Habaz expressed his resentment over the orders issued by Religious Affairs Ministry, describing them as an attempt to politicize the mosques. He revealed a number of preachers did not respond to the governmental orders in this regard.

On his hand, Algerian Minister of Religious Affairs Mohamed Eissa commented on the accusations of attempting to politicize mosques, saying that the decision taken by his ministry came upon an initiative from the preachers. He praised the role performed by the Algerian preachers to support the Algerian citizens for performing their national role through participating in the coming elections.