Parties: electoral fraud responsible for boycott
Political parties said they refuse to be held responsible for the lack of enthusiasm in the electoral campaign, in response to remarks made by Algerian interior minister Ould Kablia saying parties would be behind boycott of local elections due to be held on November 29th.
President of Shura Council of MSP party Abderrahmane Saidi condemned the minister’s statement saying the lack of enthusiasm in the electoral campaign is a relative question.
“The approach should be objective. For example, when municipal commissions do not do their job and no prerogatives are given to them, the electoral campaign is affected,” Saidi said.
“Parties do not bear the responsibility for the lack of enthusiasm in electoral campaign. Each part involved in elections is responsible including the administration. Is the solution to blame each other? The electoral operation is regressing and losing its place,” he added.
Leading member at the Workers’ Party Djelloul Djoudi believes that prefects bear a part of the responsibility because they accepted candidates with antecedents including a man involved in 11 cases. “The May 10th’s electoral fraud made people feel that their will is not respected by the administration. Because of that, they will boycott the local elections,” he said.
Press attaché at the FLN party Aissa Kassa believes that the administration, the parties and media take part in the elections. “All of them bear a part of the responsibility,” he said.
RND’s press attaché Miloud Chorfi says the electoral campaign is going well and it was successful for his party as it attracted a large number of people in gatherings. “The party managed to organize proximity meetings. I don’t think that voters would boycott the elections as they are about their daily concerns. The turnover will be acceptable.”
President of Al-Islah party Hamlaoui Akouchi said authorities are responsible for the lack of enthusiasm in the electoral campaign for many reasons. “Names were cut from the list of candidates in the pretext of not fulfilling legal conditions. The elections were hit by the administration which controls the operation and excluded parties.”