Algerian legislative election, 2002
Encyclopedia
The 2002 Algerian Legislative election was held in Algeria
on 30 May 2002 to elect members of the People's National Assembly
. The governing National Liberation Front
(FLN) won a majority of seats in the election. The election suffered from a low turnout, violence and boycotts by some opposition parties.
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
announced the date of the election on 20 February and the official campaign began on 9 May. The President vowed that they would be free elections and warned people against undermining them. However five opposition parties boycotted the election, the Socialist Forces Front
(FFS), Rally for Culture and Democracy
(RCD), Republican National Alliance (ANR), Movement of Democrats and Socialists (MDS) and the Socialist Workers' Party
(PST). They claimed that previous elections in 1997 and 1999 were fraudulent and that this election would be no different.
A survey carried out by Al-Watan newspaper showed that 70% would vote for one of the 3 parties in the ruling coalition, the FLN, National Rally for Democracy
and the Movement of Society for Peace
. The FLN of Prime Minister
Ali Benflis
campaigned on a platform of unifying the different social groups of Algeria such as by regional development
in the south. The RND, which had won the most seats at the last election in 1997, campaigned for economic liberalisation
but was undermined by the lack of a base of support or a social ideology. The leader of the RND, Ahmed Ouyahia
, warned of the dangers of an islamist
victory but his concerns were dismissed by the interior minister
. The opposition Workers' Party
led by Louisa Hanoune
campaigned against outside interference in Algeria and against privitisation.
The campaign saw widespread apathy with many people seeing the parliament as toothless and the military as remaining the main power. The FLN attempted to raise interest in the election by doing things such as creating a rap song for younger people. However the poll by El Watan showed that over a third planned not to vote and in areas such as Bab el-Oued election billboards were mostly empty. High unemployment, water and housing shortages were also seen as contributing to the apathy in the election.
by the Armed Islamic Group
(GIA) in continued violence from the Algerian Civil War
. On polling day itself security forces were out in force in Algiers
with many roadblock
s to prevent terrorist attacks.
In the north eastern Kabylie
region a general strike
was organised and running battles took place in the regional capital Tizi Ouzou
to try and prevent the election from taking place in the region. Throughout much of the area polling station
s were deserted and many did not open at all.
made gains and won 43 seats.
Turnout
in the election was the lowest yet since independence in 1962. Only 47% of the registered voters turned out to vote, compared to 63% in the 1997 election. 25 women were elected, 18 from the FLN, and after the election the number of women ministers was increased from one to five.
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
on 30 May 2002 to elect members of the People's National Assembly
People's National Assembly
The People's National Assembly is the lower house of the Algerian Parliament. It is composed of 380 members directly elected by the population....
. The governing National Liberation Front
National Liberation Front (Algeria)
The National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Algeria. It was set up on November 1, 1954 as a merger of other smaller groups, to obtain independence for Algeria from France.- Anticolonial struggle :...
(FLN) won a majority of seats in the election. The election suffered from a low turnout, violence and boycotts by some opposition parties.
Candidates
The election saw 10,052 candidates standing in the election from 23 political parties. Of the candidates, 694 were female and 1,266 were independents.Campaign
PresidentPresident of Algeria
The President of Algeria is the head of state and chief executive of Algeria, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Algerian armed forces.-History of the office:...
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Abdelaziz Bouteflika is the ninth President of Algeria. He has been in office since 1999. He continued emergency rule until 24 February 2011, and presided over the end of the bloody Algerian Civil War in 2002...
announced the date of the election on 20 February and the official campaign began on 9 May. The President vowed that they would be free elections and warned people against undermining them. However five opposition parties boycotted the election, the Socialist Forces Front
Socialist Forces Front
The Socialist Forces Front , , is a social democratic and secularist, political party in Algeria. It was formed in 1963 by Hocine Ait Ahmed...
(FFS), Rally for Culture and Democracy
Rally for Culture and Democracy
The Rally for Culture and Democracy is a political party in Algeria. It promotes secularism and has its principal power base in Kabylia, a major Berber-speaking region...
(RCD), Republican National Alliance (ANR), Movement of Democrats and Socialists (MDS) and the Socialist Workers' Party
Socialist Workers' Party (Algeria)
The Socialist Workers' Party is a political party in Algeria. Its views are similar to those of the reunified Fourth International. PST was founded in 1989 by the Revolutionary Communist Group ....
(PST). They claimed that previous elections in 1997 and 1999 were fraudulent and that this election would be no different.
A survey carried out by Al-Watan newspaper showed that 70% would vote for one of the 3 parties in the ruling coalition, the FLN, National Rally for Democracy
National Rally for Democracy
The National Rally for Democracy is a political party in Algeria. It is led by Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia.The RND was founded on February 21, 1997. The party held its Second Congress on May 15–17, 2003....
and the Movement of Society for Peace
Movement of Society for Peace
The Movement for the Society of Peace is an Islamist party in Algeria, led until his 2003 death by Mahfoud Nahnah. Its current leader is Bouguerra Soltani. It is aligned with the international Muslim Brotherhood...
. The FLN of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Algeria
The Prime Minister is the head of government of Algeria.The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Algeria, along with other ministers and members of the government that the new Prime Minister recommends. The People's National Assembly must approve the legislative program of the new...
Ali Benflis
Ali Benflis
Ali Benflis is a politician in Algeria and former Prime Minister from 2000 to 2003. As of 2003, he is the general secretary of the National Liberation Front party. He was defeated in the Algerian presidential election of April 8, 2004 by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, taking only 6.4% of the...
campaigned on a platform of unifying the different social groups of Algeria such as by regional development
Regional development
Regional development is the provision of aid and other assistance to regions which are less economically developed. Regional development may be domestic or international in nature...
in the south. The RND, which had won the most seats at the last election in 1997, campaigned for economic liberalisation
Economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is the ideological belief in giving all people economic freedom, and as such granting people with more basis to control their own lives and make their own mistakes. It is an economic philosophy that supports and promotes individual liberty and choice in economic matters and...
but was undermined by the lack of a base of support or a social ideology. The leader of the RND, Ahmed Ouyahia
Ahmed Ouyahia
Ahmed Ouyahia is an Algerian politician who has been Prime Minister of Algeria since June 2008. He was previously Prime Minister from 1995 to 1998 and from 2003 to 2006. A career diplomat, he also served as Minister of Justice, and was one of the founders and a president of the RND party...
, warned of the dangers of an islamist
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
victory but his concerns were dismissed by the interior minister
Interior minister
An interior ministry is a government ministry typically responsible for policing, national security, and immigration matters. The ministry is often headed by a minister of the interior or minister of home affairs...
. The opposition Workers' Party
Workers' Party (Algeria)
The Workers' Party is a Trotskyist political party in Algeria, closely linked with the Workers' Party of France. The party is led by Louisa Hanoune....
led by Louisa Hanoune
Louisa Hanoune
Louisa Hanoune is the head of Algeria's Workers' Party . In 2004, she became the first woman to run for President of Algeria. Hanoune was imprisoned by the government several times prior to the legalization of political parties in 1988...
campaigned against outside interference in Algeria and against privitisation.
The campaign saw widespread apathy with many people seeing the parliament as toothless and the military as remaining the main power. The FLN attempted to raise interest in the election by doing things such as creating a rap song for younger people. However the poll by El Watan showed that over a third planned not to vote and in areas such as Bab el-Oued election billboards were mostly empty. High unemployment, water and housing shortages were also seen as contributing to the apathy in the election.
Election day
On the day before the election 23 people were killed in SendjasSendjas
Sendjas is a town and commune in Chlef Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 26,228.-References:...
by the Armed Islamic Group
Armed Islamic Group
The Armed Islamic Group is an Islamist organisation that wants to overthrow the Algerian government and replace it with an Islamic state...
(GIA) in continued violence from the Algerian Civil War
Algerian Civil War
The Algerian Civil War was an armed conflict between the Algerian government and various Islamist rebel groups which began in 1991. It is estimated to have cost between 150,000 and 200,000 lives, in a population of about 25,010,000 in 1990 and 31,193,917 in 2000.More than 70 journalists were...
. On polling day itself security forces were out in force in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
with many roadblock
Roadblock
A roadblock is a temporary installation set up to control or block traffic along a road. The reasons for one could be:*Roadworks*Temporary road closure during special events*Police chase*Robbery*Sobriety checkpoint...
s to prevent terrorist attacks.
In the north eastern Kabylie
Kabylie
Kabylie or Kabylia , is a region in the north of Algeria.It is part of the Tell Atlas and is located at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Kabylia covers several provinces of Algeria: the whole of Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia , most of Bouira and parts of the wilayas of Bordj Bou Arreridj, Jijel,...
region a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
was organised and running battles took place in the regional capital Tizi Ouzou
Tizi Ouzou
Tizi Ouzou is a city in Kabylia, Algeria, where it ranks second in population after Béjaïa. It is the capital and largest city of Tizi Ouzou Province and of Great Kabylia .-Etymology:The name comes from the Kabylian Berber Tizi n Uzezzu and is pronounced Tizuzzu, commonly...
to try and prevent the election from taking place in the region. Throughout much of the area polling station
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
s were deserted and many did not open at all.
Results
The results saw the National Liberation Front win a clear majority of seats. The party won over triple the seats it won at the last election, going from 64 to 199 seats. The RND dropped from 156 seats to 47 in a disastrous result for the party. The moderate islamist parties suffered a small overall decline in support, with the MSP losing half its seats but the Movement for National ReformMovement for National Reform
The Movement for National Reform is a moderate Islamist political party in Algeria. It received 9.5% of the vote in the 2002 elections and received 43 members of parliament....
made gains and won 43 seats.
Turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
in the election was the lowest yet since independence in 1962. Only 47% of the registered voters turned out to vote, compared to 63% in the 1997 election. 25 women were elected, 18 from the FLN, and after the election the number of women ministers was increased from one to five.