Monday 6 August 2012

Algeria: Whither Amar Ghoul?


Bouguerra Soltani,formally started his new party (P&S 20.07.12; 27.07.12), at this stage called Algérie pour Tous (Algeria for All), on Saturday 28 July, but with little further news on its specific line or prospective membership.

Bouguerra Soltani, president of MSP (Movement of Society for Peace) confirmed Ghoul's resignation from the MSP, but said that “the movement is broader than people”.

In his first statement after his formal resignation from MSP, Ghoul told reporters on 28 July that his decision to found a new party is “irreversible” and that “it is not important to me what Soltani or anyone else has to say about it.” Ghoul said, “The time to talk about the Movement of Society for Peace has passed,” and went as far as saying that the party was finished.

Speaking about the new party, Ghoul said: “We decided to change the party line based on the experience we have gained in the last few years,” adding that it would not be an explicitly Islamic movement. The new party, he said, would include groups from across the political spectrum.

Members of Ghoul's entourage were reported as saying that the new party will follow the example of Turkey's AK party (Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi - Justice and Development Party), which moved away from the Islamism of its former leader Necmettin Erbakan and has dominated power for the past decade.

For more news and expert analysis about Algeria, please see Algeria Focus and Algeria Politics & Security.

© 2012 Menas Associates

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