Research Library: Algeria
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Last Updated Nov 05, 2009
Country Information
Government
- A republic. The chief of state is the President, who is elected to a 5-year term. The President, head of the Council of Ministers and of the High Security Council, appoints the Prime Minister who is the head of government. The Prime Minister appoints the Council of Ministers. The Algerian parliament is bicameral that consists of a lower chamber, the National People's Assembly (APN), with 380 members and an upper chamber, the Council of Nation, with 144 members. Members of the APN are elected every 5 years.
- The president of Algeria, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, has held office since 1999. He successfully won elections in 2004 and 2009, after amending the constitution to remove term-limits in 2008. The Prime Minister is Ahmed Ouyahia. The National Liberation Front (FLN) has the majority in both houses.
Political Stability
- After a century of rule by France, Algeria declared independence in 1962, with the FLN taking power. In 1990's the military struggled with Islamist militants. In 1992, t he Islamist party won a general election. It was later annulled, sparking a violent civil war in which more than 150,000 people died. Amnesty was declared in 1999, ending the civil war. The military nominated Bouteflika for president and he later won in a fraudulent election. Bouteflika won by a landslide in the 2004 and 2009 elections after declaring himself netural.
- Although political violence has been declining, there are still many issues to be addressed with the Berbers minority group and extremist groups. Both Berbers and non-Berber Algerians demonstrations against the country's stagnant economy and the lack of political and cultural recognition. In 2001, the government agreed to several of the Berbers demands. In January 2007, an insurgent group, known as the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb, claimed responsibility for numerous bombings throughout Algeria These include tge suicide bombings in Algiers that killed 33 people and injured over 200, a series of bombing in September 2007 killing at least 50 people, and a car bombing of a UN building in December 2007.
Current Government Policies
- Algeria is also working to better relations with the west by supporting the U.S in their "War on Terror." Algeria continues to battle with unemployment, inefficiency of social services, poor infrastructure, and inadequate industrial management and productivity. Bouteflika is credited with normalizing the relations with the military, improving security, and bettering relations with the west.
International Reputation
- Algeria remains a pivotal country in the Saharan region with strong ties to France and other EU members. Former French president Jacques Chirac visited Algeria in March 2003. It was the first visit a by a French president since Algerian independence. In 2001, Bouteflika became the first Algerian president to visit the White House in 16 years. Moves towards broadening the democratic base while maintaining control over militant groups are well-received by the international community. However, recent terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb have been a source of concern. There is fear that terrorism will spill into other regions. Algeria has also taken the lead in addressing issues concerning the African continent.
Economics
- Algeria has a petroleum based economy that has brought in high revenues. However, its revenues have not been used to better infrastructure or social problems, which have hurt the overall economy. Algeria remains a state-dominated economy after suffering problems modernizing and privatizing. The government has pursued economic reforms in 1994 focused on macroeconomic stability and structural reform.
- Algeria has the eighth largest reserve of natural oil and is the fourth largest exporter of gas in the world. Most of Algeria's foreign trade lies in oil exports to the United States and gas exports to the European Union. Widespread poverty has been worsened by rising unemployment levels as well as by heavy economic dependence on the energy sector.
Foreign Aid
Statistics
Click on statistic name for source information.
Web Resources
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