Potential Political Shake Up in Algerian Parliament

Photo Credit: Reuters/Louafi Larbi

The three-party Islamist coalition, the Green Algeria Alliance, faces possible dissolution as one of its parties, the Movement of Society for Peace, reels from internal turmoil. Amar Ghoul of the Movement recently resigned and at least 20 MPs loyal to Ghoul may soon follow suit to join a new party led by him. The Green Alliance currently holds 49 seats, and some figures within the coalition believe Ghoul’s departure was orchestrated by the government to divide Islamist opposition and exclude them from the future cabinet.

In addition, Muriam Haleh Davis refutes the idea of an “Algerian exception” to the Arab Spring, arguing that beneath the veneer of stability is a build up of discontent. Davis estimates that participation in the last election may have been as low as 15 percent, and this disenchantment with the political system has led frustrations to be increasingly vented through riots and even self-immolations.

Also, the Polisario Front released a statement calling for an acceleration of “the empowerment of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara,” while also criticizing Morocco for what it called an “obstructionist” policy, particularly in its decision to cease collaborations with U.N. envoy Christopher Ross. The Saharan independence group also welcomed  U.N. Special Representative Wolfgang Weisbrod-Weber visit to all parties involved in the dispute.