LONDON, May 12, 2012 (AFP)
Britain on Saturday called for further reforms on constitutional change in Algeria following the north African state’s legislative elections.
“I congratulate the people of Algeria on the conduct of these elections and welcome the Algerian government’s decision to allow EU observers for the first time,” Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement.
“Over the past 16 months people across north Africa have clearly expressed their desire for greater openness and accountability, and it is encouraging that the Algerian authorities have responded in this positive way.”
European Union observers on Saturday gave the polls a polite nod despite widespread suspicion over results that saw the regime buck the Arab Spring trend of change and tighten its grip on power.
“I particularly welcome the greater representation of women in the new parliament, in line with Algeria’s recent reforms,” Hague said.
“I hope this progress will lead to further reforms in the forthcoming discussion of constitutional change, and in the run up to the local elections later this year and the presidential elections in 2014.
“The UK has a good relationship with Algeria and I am confident that British parliamentarians will seek to further strengthen ties with their newly elected Algerian counterparts”.
Official results for Thursday’s legislative election showed that the party that has ruled Algeria since its independence from France 50 years ago winning comfortably and Islamists losing ground.
