Controversy over participation of military individuals in elections

A state of controversy dominates the Algerian community in coincidence with the parliamentary elections approaching over the participation of military elements in the voting process during the coming elections scheduled to be held on May 4. Algerian political parties expressed their refusal to the measure, calling for preventing the military elements from voting the elections.

Algerian Interior Ministry Nour Al Din Badawy defended, in a press statement, the right of Algerian military forces to vote in the coming parliamentary elections, saying that they are Algerian citizens and have the right to participate in the coming elections. He added, "They are Algerian citizens and have the right to express their opinions freely and transparently. They will vote outside their military barracks."

On their hand, Islamist parties proposed the amendment of elections law to cancel the right provided to the military and security individuals to vote during the coming elections in their workplaces to avoid the claims over falsifications.

The interior minister refused the proposal, saying that such proposals would leave negative repercussions on the electoral process, as it would prevent a large number of them from participating in the coming elections which raised increasing controversy. He stressed the need for allowing the military and security individuals to vote in the offices existed in their workplaces.

Algerian politician Lakhdar Bin Khalaf, said that the military and security individuals have the right to vote during the coming elections, adding that they work to support the democratic regime in the country. He added, "We attempt to move the military institution away from any suspicions. They should work to perform their role upon the Algerian constitution, while to leave the politics to politicians.