Probably the best summary headline of the election result read:
“Algeria elections look good abroad, bad at home.” This caption was
widely reproduced in the international media. It portrayed the view that
Algeria's Western allies could report that progress on democratic reform was
underway in Algeria, which we do not believe is at all the case, while most
Algerians regard the elections as a fraudulent farce.
The EU, which treats Algeria with kid gloves, largely because
of the fact that Algeria supplies it with a fifth of its gas needs and is the
third largest supplier after Russia and Norway and cooperates with it on
terrorism matters, called the election a "step forward in the reform process"
that would consolidate democracy.
Hugh Roberts, an Algeria expert at Boston's
Tufts University who is also a former long-serving contributor to Menas' Algeria
publications, said: “Algeria has satisfactory relations with Washington and
Paris …. It needs to do well enough (with reform) not to embarrass its Western
partners, and that's what it's done.”
For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.
© 2012 Menas Associates
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