Rabat – The Algerian Ministry of the Interior has revealed a list of 24 Algerians who want to run for the July 4 election after the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
“The provisional balance sheet of the submission of individual signature application forms for applicants to the candidacy for the election of the presidency of the republic … has twenty-four letters of intent filed,” the ministry said in a statement published by Algeria’s official news agency APS.
The statement said that the candidates “were able to benefit from quotas of subscription forms, in application of the legal provisions in force.”
Election plans are proceeding “in good conditions,” added the statement.
The ministry’s announcement comes on the heel of continuous mass protests against the current government run by Interim President Abdelkader Bensalah, a loyalist to Bouteflika.
Throughout the protests, the army has made multiple arrests and purged military officers, investigating them for corruption.
An Algerian court summoned former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, who resigned moments after Bouteflika did, for an investigation.
The current finance minister, Mohamed Loukal, was also summoned, international media reported yesterday.
The two officials are under investigation for “dissipation of public money” and “illegal privilege.”
Friday marked the beginning of the ninth week of mass protests against Bouteflika. Hundreds of thousands of Algerian citizens shouted slogans against the current government demanding radical change.
Some political activists are also urging protesters to boycott the election. Dozens of Algerian mayors supporting the Algerian “hirak” movement said they will boycott the July 4 election.
The mayors’ decision followed the announcement of Algerian magistrates, who are also threatening to boycott the election.
Algeria’s opposition Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) party said it supported the Algerian hirak, emphasizing that all of its elected personnel would refuse to “organize the election.”
