New Algerian party joins anti-Hollande list

The list of Algerian political parties refusing to receive French President Francois Hollande is getting longer: the Movement for National Reform (MRN), a breakout party of the Ennahda Movement, has been the latest to join in. Francois Hollande, set to visit Algeria on December 19, has become increasingly unpopular in Algeria after his government dragged its feet to recognise occupation crimes. Helmewi Akouchi, MRN’s Secretary-General, announced in a press conference that the French President’s speech will be boycotted by 14 political parties as well as his visit to Tlemcen. The rebel parties announced in a meeting on Friday their rejection of Hollande’s visit, and demanded Algerian authorities to bar Harkis [Algerian nationals who joined the French army during the war] from entering the territory as part of Hollande’s delegation. The parties also demanded French recognition of and apology for occupation crimes committed against the Algerian people. The MRN secretary-general also touched upon the local elections held on November 29, stating that they show a failure of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s reform initiative.