Largest Islamist movement in Algeria refuses to join the government

The leader of Algeria’s largest Islamic movement stressed on Sunday that it would not be joining the government, Quds Press has reported. Abderrazak Makri of the Movement of Society for Peace said that the executive bureau of the group has decided to remain in opposition.

“We must keep up with the democratic logic,” he explained. “The party which wins should be in the government and the one which does not win remains in opposition.”

Makri revealed last week that the group had received an offer from President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to join the upcoming government. Although there could be coalitions formed, he continued, the movement does not see it happening in Algeria.

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The senior politician reiterated his movement’s commitment to strive for a democratic political project in the country. “We are optimistic about the future although we are not going to be part of the government,” he repeated.

Furthermore, Makri denied that his movement is a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, Tunisia’s Ennahda or Morocco’s Justice and Development Party. Such comparisons between the three parties is illogical, he insisted, as the circumstances differ in countries across the region. He suggested that the experience of Ennahda in Tunis is similar to his own movement’s experience in government 15 years ago.

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