(ANSAmed) - TUNIS, MAY 16 - A few minor adjustments (one
extra seat) made in the past hours have not changed the victory
of the National Liberation Front (FLN) in the Algerian
elections. The parties that have lost the elections continue to
protest against the electoral result, threatening to take legal
steps or stage demonstrations. But, unexpectedly, the victory is
causing problems within the FLN party.
The Constitutional Council has officially announced the data of
the vote: 221 of the 462 went to the FLN, three times more than
to its ally, the RND, with 70 votes. The two parties together
have a broad majority with 291 votes, more than enough to rule
the country again as they have done in the recent past.
But from a political viewpoint, the crushing victory of the FLN
party could put a strain on its relations with the RND. It is
highly likely that the Front will claim the post of prime
minister, so far held by the leader of the Rassemblement
national democratique, Ouyahia, who has been strangely silent
since last Friday.
But the FLN seems to have difficulties to digest the large and
perhaps unexpected victory. Inside the party, the opposition
against party leader Abdelaziz Belkhadem's does not appear to
have been weakened by the election result. More and more voices
are asking for Belkhadem to step down (''the party needs someone
who is backed by all, an honest, integer and credible
militant''), apparently many party members want to make a clean
sweep of the party, removing the old regime.
Whatever the explanation given, it is a power struggle with an
uncertain outcome inside the FLN, with unavoidable repercussions
for the next government.
And while the majority is reflecting after the victory, the
opposition is still angry about the result, claiming election
fraud and saying that the outcome has defeated the country's
will to turn the page. No official response has been given to
the claims yet, but next week the common enemy (yesterday's
majority, confirmed by the vote) will probably force the five
Islamic parties (three of them in the Green Alliance) that have
spoken out the loudest against the electoral results to come
together and put their differences aside, at least for now. They
may be able to find common ground and may take legal action
against the result together. But it would be too much to say
that this could lead to a future alliance. (ANSAmed).
