Algeria’s electoral commission has got the applications of 22 candidates for a December presidential election, including two former prime ministers under former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, for the presidential election scheduled on December 12, reported France 24. Nominations will be confirmed in a week’s time.
The election follows the resignation of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April after months of mass protests. Since then, power in Algeria has been concentrated in the hands of Army Chief Ahmed Gaid Salah.
Among those who have applied for the candidacy are former premiers Ali Benflis and Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Benflis, 75, served as premier under Bouteflika from 2000 to 2003. Tebboune, 73, was a senior civil servant and then served as a minister from the 1990s. He was appointed as the prime minister in May 2017, but got sacked in less than three months against a backdrop of factional fighting in government. Both Benflis and Tebboune are considered front-runners in the election.
“It is true that it will be difficult for us to implement solutions but we will overcome challenges with the will of the people and build the second republic,” Tebboune said after submitting his candidacy.
Azzedine Mihoubi, leader of the Democratic National Rally party (RND) which was the main ally of the former president’s party, and Islamist former tourism minister Abdelkader Bengrina, have also filed for the election. Slimane Bakhlili, a former popular television host, also qualified. Notably, all the candidates must have the backing of at least 50,000 people to be eligible to contest the election.
The election body will now offer guarantees of sincerity in the election and is responsible for examining their validity within 7 days. The Constitutional Council will then have 7 days to draw up the official list of presidential candidates.
The protesters have decided to reject army-backed calls for presidential polls in December, fearing that it will not be transparent or fair.
