Bouteflika defends his reforms amid opposition criticism

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Wednesday, defended the political reforms introduced by his government which he announced in an address to the nation on April 15th. The new proposed laws in these reforms have been sharply criticized by the opposition, as well as regime loyalists, and were said to have been “emptied of their content by the presidential alliance parties, and stood against the people’s will.” However, Bouteflika stressed that these laws were proof of his “steadiness” to meet his people’s aspirations.
President Bouteflika speaking from Laghouat, said “Algeria is now in good condition, working on building a society based on principles of freedom, justice, and solidarity as well as security after it succeeded in overcoming the ordeal that hindered its progress.”
Regarding the major transformations which the Arab and Islamic nation is currently going through, Bouteflika said “Algeria worked responsibly and honestly on providing an atmosphere of political, economic, and social reforms that go in line with the aspirations of the society and the hopes for continuous reform, through constructive dialogue and extensive consultations on the political level and in the civil society,” stressing that the aim of widening the circle of discussion on reform is to “bring changes to the legislative system which rules political life, in order to achieve a new leap in entrenching the democratic path, supporting the balance between authorities, and ensuring individual and collective freedoms and human rights, while adding efficiency to the civil societies’ activities and expanding the citizens’ participation in political work, as well as promoting the role of women and youth.”
It is worth mentioning that the various new laws related to political reform, announced by President Bouteflika, are facing sharp criticisms and great political controversy in the parliament among different parties, including those belonging to the presidential alliance. The Islamic Renaissance Movement (Ennahda) called on the president to freeze the draft laws of reforms discussed by the parliament until the election of a true National People’s Assembly, and the formation of a government of competencies to supervise the preparations for the upcoming legislative and local elections, denouncing what they called “emptying the first set of laws of its contents by the parties of the presidential alliance,” considering the alliance of the majority to drop the amendments and proposals which would serve real reform to be “standing against popular will.”
Meanwhile, the brotherhood’s political party, Movement Society of Peace (MSP), called on President Bouteflika to abide by his promises of political reform of last April. The laws of elections, political parties, media, and constitution are emptied of their original content which was to serve the people as they were dominated by the mentality of custody and the logic of the majority, which could result in “increasing electoral abstention in the forthcoming elections.” They warned against what they referred to as “slowness” of pace with which the reforms moved, and toying with the time factor, which could result in losing the interest and concern of public opinion.