Several journalists vying for parliamentary seats in Algeria

By Hossam El Din Islam

ALGIERS, Algeria (AA) - Several journalists are running in the upcoming parliamentary election in Algeria slated to be held on June 12.

After Mohamed Charfi, chairman of the National Independent Authority of the Elections (ANIE), announced the candidates' list for the parliamentary elections on Thursday, a significant number of journalists who have filed candidacy papers started their campaign through social media.

According to the announcement, a total of 1,483 candidates are in the race, including 646 from 28 political parties and 837 independents, making the beginning of the North African country's electoral campaigns.

While the ANIE refused to say how many journalists are running for parliamentary seats, a member of the body told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media that there are "dozens" of them running as independent candidates for the 407-seat parliament.

A quick survey conducted by Anadolu Agency based on the circulating candidate lists, revealed that Riad Boukhdsha, head of the syndicate Algerian Council of Journalists, Muhammad Muslim from the private Al-Shurouq newspaper, Abdelali Mezghish, Samah Amamra, Belkacem Ajaj, Anisa Chaib, and Abla Aissati are among the journalists running in the elections.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune issued a decree in March calling for early parliamentary elections on June 12, less than a month after dissolving the People's National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.

The new law also bans anyone who has previously served two parliamentary terms from contesting.

There will be one assembly seat for every 120,000 people in the elections to be held in 58 provinces.

Moreover, in the upcoming election, voters will use for the first time an open list method for candidate selection under a new election law passed by President Tebboune in March.

The open list system allows voters to arrange candidates on the same list in the order of their preference. On the contrary, the closed list compelled voters to select a list based on the party's arrangement.

- What attracted journalists to contest?

According to journalist Riad Bou Khadcha, who is running from the eastern Mela governorate, the idea of running was inspired by his profession as a journalist who follows developments in Algeria and as a unionist in the National Council of Journalists, noting that he saw the journalist as the link between the country and its citizens.

“The journalist is the most fitting person to hold decision-making positions since he/she is most informed about and close to the issues of society and the aspirations of the citizens," Bou Khadcha told Anadolu Agency, adding that journalists themselves suffer a lot from the lack of representation in the parliament as former deputies have failed to “embrace the true concerns of journalists."

He believed that "the demand of the media to run for office was encouraged by the opportunity for independent electoral lists to participate in the elections."

For his part, Abdelali Mezegish, a television journalist, attributed his candidacy to the new election system, describing it as encouraging qualified people to compete for seats "despite its deficiencies,” which he hopes, will help him “serve his hometown” of Awlad Jalal in the country's south.

"My desire, as a young man, was to serve my state and its people before getting old,” Mezegish told Anadolu Agency.

He pointed out that journalists are usually in contact with both citizens and officials, and that he is determined to use his position “to fight any administrative and financial irregularities he finds."

For journalist Muhammad Muslim, who shared his candidacy on his social media page, says his intention to run for parliamentary elections date back to 2012, and he sees the upcoming election as an opportunity.

He said that he will run as an independent candidate “despite some party offers” in order “to be free from any tutelage."

*Writing by Ibrahim Mukhtar in Ankara