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'Algerian elections have no meaning without major change in regime,' says FIS leader

August 28, 2017 at 11:18 am

The Deputy Head of Algeria’s Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) said on Sunday that there must be “major change” in the ruling regime to guarantee “meaningful results” in any upcoming elections, AlKhaleejonline.net has reported. Sheikh Ali Belhaj noted that such change could be achieved through “discussion and dialogue.”

The FIS official made his remarks following the announcement by the presidency of 23 November as the date for local elections in the country. He stressed that the political crisis in the country is “deep” and it could not be solved through local or parliamentarian elections alone.

“The solution is not to hold elections supervised by the regime in the light of a factional administration and a municipal head without enough power to carry out his programme,” he said. As such, he expects there to be a significant boycott of the elections due to the restrictions placed on the heads of municipalities.

Belhaj also pointed out that there are restrictions imposed on certain political parties by the ruling regime, including his own party.