Election Campaign Reveals Fake of Muslim Brotherhood’s Popularity

With the begin of the election campaigns of Algerian candidates, ahead of the presidential election that starts on December 12, 2019, citizens expressed their rejection of some of the figures affiliated with the former regime, especially candidate Abdelkader Ben Kreina, former Minister of Tourism, and head of the National Building Movement, affiliated with the Brotherhood.

At a rally of Ben Kreina in downtown Algiers on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, some attendees tried to prevent the head of one of the Brotherhood’s wings from advancing. Several chants were chanted, such as “You ate the country, thieves, no elections with gangs, the presumption of escaping” and other Chants rejecting the existence of the Islamic candidate.

Ben-Kreina attempted to calm the protesters. Several activists refused to listen to the man, and there were clashes between the supporters and opponents of the Islamic candidate, which would have made things dangerous even if some did not intervene amid the heavy presence of the police forces that surrounded the conference square. In ten minutes no more.

The former minister is running in the presidential race, without an Islamic back, as Algeria’s Islamists announced their boycott of the elections, such as the Movement of Society for Peace, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was one of the forces participating in the presidential alliance that supported former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, until its withdrawal in 2012, and its intersection. The Justice and Development Front, led by Abdellah Djaballah, is one of the founders of the group in Algeria.

Many citizens are also reluctant to hold the presidential elections, which could put the candidates in these entitlements at great difficulties during the electoral campaign that began November 17th, as five candidates are competing for the Algerian presidencies, the head of the Future Front, Abdelaziz Belaid, the candidate of the Vanguards of Freedom Party Ali Benflis.

Abdelkader Ben Kreina, President of the National Building Movement, former Prime Minister Abdel Meguid Taboun, and Acting Secretary General of the National Democratic Assembly Ezzedine Mihoubi.

According to researcher Ricardo Fabiani, the divisions between the Islamists in Algeria and their inability to join their ranks in order to offer an alternative to the current political situation; he pointed out that this division keeps their chances of success in the elections are limited, unlike in neighboring Tunisia and Morocco.

Fabiani pointed out in a study prepared by the London-based energy consultancy Energy Aspects that multiple Islamist parties in Algeria are divided on whether to support the government or join the opposition, or also because they are barred from running in the elections, limiting their chances. Their success, especially after losing credibility to the people.

He said the diverse group of legal parties, unofficial currents, religious tendencies and banned organizations have lost all credibility in the eyes of Algerians and remain on the sidelines of the country’s politics, the study said. Whether they should participate in the political system, and whether they should support the regime or to what degree.

He added: «This chaotic scene directly in the interest of the authorities, highlighting not only the disintegration of the ranks of these parties, but also to isolate them from reality».