Parliament passes Algeria’s new constitution

Parliament Sunday passed a draft bill on constitutional amendment with an overwhelming majority at the Palace of Nations western Algiers.

A total of 512 parliamentarians attended the session. Of them, 499 voted yes, two voted no and 16 did not participate in voting.

Deputies of Algeria’s Green Alliance were absent along with representatives of the FFS party. They have already announced boycott to voting. Yet, this did not affect procedures as legal quorum was available.

According to Article 116 of the Constitution, the new constitution will come in force within 30 days starting from Sunday.

The new constitution affirms that Arabic is the State’s official language and et Tamazigh as an official language. An academy will be created to be in charge if its promotion.

It also confirms the right of protesting, press freedom and it bans any punishment which deprives journalists’ freedom.

As for political parties, the right of benefiting from public media and funding from the State was set. Parties are allowed to exercise power locally and nationally as part of democratic alternation.

The new constitution stipulates that candidates for presidential elections should have Algerian authentic nationality and lived in Algeria for ten years. An unlimited presidential term was banned and it was fixed to one renewable term.

Deputies who do not accomplish their parliamentary tasks will be punished.