Algeria: Civil society, political parties field 13 figures for dialogue with regime

Several civil society groups and political parties regrouped under the banner of “Civilian Forum for Change” have appointed 13 personalities among whom two former Prime Ministers, to negotiate with the regime a way out of the political crisis that has gripped the North African country since February.

 

The 13-member committee includes former Premiers Mouloud Hamrouche and Mokdad Sifi, as well as former head of the parliament Karim Younès.

 

The committee members were chosen on the basis of a set of criteria including no link with the regime of former President Abdelaziz Boutelika, not target of corruption suspicions, no political ambition, and be accepted by demonstrators for democracy, the Forum’s President, Abderrahmane Arar, said.

 

Algeria has been engulfed in a political crisis since late February after Algerians rejected Bouteflika’s plans to seek a fifth term in office. The former leader stepped down early April but Algerians kept the pressure for a complete overhaul of the regime.

The appointment of the 13 personalities follows the call by unpopular interim leader Abdelkader Bensalah for a neutral and genuine dialogue in order to set a date for presidential elections after the elections initially set for early July were scrapped.

According to local media TSA, Bensalah on Wednesday said the state would soon unveil the list of its negotiators.