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Algeria
Legalization of Political Parties and Beginnings of a Pluralist
System
The legalization of political parties, further enunciated in
the Law Relative to Political Associations of July 1989, was one
of the major achievements of the revised constitution. More than
thirty political parties emerged as a result of these reforms
by the time of the first multiparty local and regional elections
in June 1990; nearly sixty existed by the time of the first national
multiparty elections in December 1991.
Granting the right to form "associations of a political character,"
the constitution recognized the existence of opposition parties.
Earlier, such parties were precluded because the FLN had a national
mandate as a front, eliminating the political necessity of competitive
political parties. Other political associations had also been
limited because trade unions and other civil associations fell
under FLN direction and had little autonomy. The new constitution
recognized all political associations and mandated only a commitment
to national unity and sovereignty. The July law further clarified
the guidelines for the establishment and participation of political
parties.
The law prohibited associations formed exclusively on regional,
ethnic, or religious grounds. Ironically, however, the two parties
that profited most in the 1990 and 1991 elections were the FIS
and the FFS from the Kabylie region. That these parties were among
the first legalized in 1989 has given credence to those who maintain
that Benjedid's liberalization was based more on tactical personal
considerations than genuine democratic ambitions. They argue that
these parties had the means and appeal to challenge the monopoly
of the FLN. The FLN became the main antagonist to the liberalization
program of Benjedid and his then prime minister, Hamrouche. By
the time of the military coup, the FLN had completely broken with
the government.
The December 1991 elections and the scheduled second-round runoffs
in January 1992 provided the first national test for the new multiparty
system. The elections were open to all registered parties--parties
had to register before the campaign period began--and were contested
by almost fifty parties. Voting was by universal and secret ballot
and assembly seats were awarded based on a proportional representation
system. Only 231 of the 430 seats were decided in the first round
of elections in which 59 percent of eligible voters participated,
but an Islamist victory seemed assured by the Islamist command
of 80 percent of the contested seats. The second round of elections
was canceled by the military coup of January 11, 1992.
Data as of December 1993
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