Skip to main content
Support
Article

Challenges for Algeria’s Islamist Parties

Algeria’s Islamists have had limited political success since the Arab Spring, especially compared with the initial electoral gains by Islamists elsewhere in the Middle East. The main problem is their own political rivalry.

Cameron Glenn

            Algeria’s Islamists have had limited political success since the Arab Spring, especially compared with the initial electoral gains by Islamists elsewhere in the Middle East. Islamist parties fared poorly in 2012 parliamentary elections, then failed to field an opposition candidate against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the 2014 presidential election.

      The main problem is their own political rivalry. In 2012, the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), Ennahda, and al Islah attempted to form an umbrella as the Green Algeria Coalition, but they failed to coalesce in a unified front or define a single platform with common objectives.

      The legacy of Algeria’s civil war in the 1990s also weighs heavily on Islamist parties, with the current violence and instability in Egypt and Libya evoking fears that Algeria could descend into another “black decade” (as the civil war was known) if it attempts its own political transition. Setbacks to Islamist parties in Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco have shaped public attitudes in Algeria, since Islamist parties elsewhere have a troubled record in blending religion and politics into effective governance in the Arab world.

Algeria’s civil war and aftermath

      Algeria has had a long and violent experience with Islamist politics. In 1991, the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) swept the first round of parliamentary elections. On the eve of the run-off poll, the military launched a coup that ousted the president, aborted the run-off election, banned religious parties and forced FIS underground. Internal tensions soon sparked a brutal civil war and spawned radical Islamist offshoots, such as the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and, later, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).

            Throughout the civil war and its aftermath, some Islamist parties sought to distance themselves from these radical offshoots and participate in politics. The MSP, an Islamist party with roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, formed an alliance with two secular parties that supported Bouteflika’s reelection in 2004. This decision gave them a position in politics, but ultimately weakened their popular support since they were unable to forge real reforms or challenge the status quo.

             Disagreements within the MSP led to internal factional splits following the 2009 presidential election, with some members leaving the party and rejecting its support of Bouteflika’s candidacy. The remaining members of the MSP have continued to seek participation in government along with two smaller Islamist parties, Ennahda and al Islah.

The Arab Spring: Renewed optimism for Islamists

      In 2012, the early success of Islamist parties in Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco emboldened the MSP to end its alliance with secular parties that had backed Bouteflika’s reelection since 2004. It then joined forces with Ennahda and al Islah, parties that were struggling to maintain popular support, to form the Green Algeria Coalition. The goal of this alliance was to make a stronger showing together in the 2012 parliamentary elections.

      But the Islamist coalition failed to capture the public imagination. The ruling National Liberation Front actually won 220 seats, nearly half the 462 seats in parliament. The parties in the Green Algeria Coalition secured only 48, down from the 52 seats won by the MSP alone in 2007.

            The Green Algeria Coalition attempted to revive Islamist support by participating in the 2014 presidential election, but it was unable to present a viable challenge to Bouteflika’s candidacy. The MSP and Ennahda instead called for a boycott of the election. Bouteflika easily secured a fourth term, although voter turnout was low.

The challenge of internal fragmentation

            Internal leadership quarrels continue to hinder the Islamists’ ability to create a unified front. Tensions between the moderate and more radical elements of the MSP’s support base have also impeded attempts to craft a coherent message that can resonate among all of Algeria’s Islamists.

           Ironically, the political reforms that Bouteflika introduced to ease tensions during the Arab Spring protests elsewhere may actually have contributed to the divide among Islamists. The reforms, which opened the way for formation of political parties, led to the licensing of 23 new parties in 2012, including new forums for opposition to find their political voice.

            The recent presidential election exemplifies the impact of these divisions. In July 2013, the Green Algeria Coalition announced its intention to field an Islamist candidate against Bouteflika, but disagreements among party leadership prevented a consensus on this issue. An MSP statement from April justifies the decision to boycott the elections as a commitment to the democratic process, but this decision may at least be partially linked with inability to rally around a presidential candidate.

Algeria’s Islamist Parties

            A wide range of Islamist groups are currently active in Algerian politics, despite these setbacks. The list below includes parties who won representation in the 2012 parliamentary elections.

MSP

      The MSP was founded in 1988 by Mahfoud Nahnah, and has been led by Abderrazak Makri since May 2013. The party has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood. It previously backed Bouteflika’s regime, but split from the ruling coalition in 2012 to form a coalition with two smaller Islamist groups, Ennahda and Al-Islah.

       The MSP advocates spreading Islamic values, but endorses democracy and does not call for an Islamic state. During its fifth annual conference in May 2013, the party affirmed its support for greater participation of women in political and economic activities, social security programs for the unemployed, and the diversification of the economy outside the oil sector.

      The MSP has also expressed support for Islamists in Egypt. In July 2013, Makri commented on the overthrow of President Morsi, stating that “this is not a coup against Morsi, but against democracy.” In April 2014, the MSP issued a statement condemning the crackdowns on the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

      The party has consistently taken a strong stance on the Palestinian issue and supports an independent Palestinian state. In July 2014, the MSP spoke out about the humanitarian situation in Gaza and called on Algerian authorities to put political and diplomatic pressure on Israel to end the crisis.

Ennahda

             Ennahda was founded by Abdallah Djaballah in 1990, and is currently led by Fatah Rebai. Like the MSP, Ennahda has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood. The party lost popularity after it ousted Djaballah in 1997, and it fared poorly in the 2007 parliamentary elections, winning just 3 percent of the vote. It joined the Green Algeria Coalition with the MSP and al Islah in 2012, hoping to win more seats in the 2012 parliamentary elections. It is not related to the Ennahda party in Tunisia.

             Ennahda supports participation in the political process, but is critical of the ruling coalition that supports Bouteflika. In March 2013, Rebai stated that Algeria should be a democratic state based on Islamic principles. However, the party has also expressed willingness to cooperate with secular groups who are committed to free and transparent elections.

al Islah

      Djaballah founded Al-Islah in 1999, after he left Ennahda. He was expelled from al Islah in 2006, and since then the party has struggled to maintain popular support. Al Islah is currently led by Djahid Younsi, who ran in the 2009 presidential elections but received less than 2 percent of the vote. Along with Ennahda, al Islah joined the MSP in the Green Algeria Coalition in 2012.

      In August 2012, al Islah called for a consensus among Islamist and secular parties to fight corruption, waste, and injustice in the government. Although the MSP and Ennahda boycotted the recent presidential election, Younsi expressed support for Ali Benflis, Bouteflika’s closest challenger in the race. He justified backing a non-Islamist candidate by stressing the need for unity among opposition movements to end the “political stalemate” in Algeria.

Justice and Development Front (FJD)

      The FJD was founded by Djaballah in 2011, after he was ousted from both Ennahda and Al-Islah. The FJD was one of the many new political parties allowed to participate in the 2012 parliamentary elections, but it won only seven seats, compared to 48 won by the Green Algeria Coalition. The FJD boycotted the 2014 presidential election.

            The FJD released its political platform in May 2012. It takes a conservative stance on social issues, and promotes teaching the Quran, building Islamic community centers, and other measures to increase the role of Islam in public life. The party also emphasizes national reconciliation, political reform, diversifying the economy, and support for the Palestinian cause.

National Front for Change

            Abdelmajid Menasra left the MSP and founded the National Front for Change in 2009, after becoming disenchanted with the lack of real reforms in the military government. The National Front for Change won just four seats in the 2012 parliamentary elections. In April 2013, the party sought greater cooperation with the MSP in an attempt to present a more unified Islamist front. Unlike other Islamist groups, the National Front for Change did not officially boycott the 2014 election, but it also did not field an opposition candidate.

            Menasra has stated that his party “believes in peaceful and democratic change,” and has called for combating despotism, corruption, poverty, and illiteracy.

The future of Algeria’s Islamists

            Islamists continue to pursue greater unity and influence in Algerian politics despite electoral setbacks. Bouteflika launched discussions to revise Algeria’s constitution shortly after his reelection, but most Islamist parties have deemed the amendment process unfair and declined to participate. Islamists, notably the FJD and MSP, have instead looked to expand their influence by partnering with secular opposition groups. Whether these continued efforts will translate into success at the polls remains to be seen, with the next parliamentary elections scheduled in 2017.

Photo credits: Algerian President Bouteflika by Magharebia via Flickr (Creative Commons license 2.0), Abdelaziz Makri via office MSP Facebook page, and Abdallah Djaballah by Magharebia via Flickr (Creative Commons license 2.0)

Related Program

The Islamists

Learn more about Hamas and how it relates to similarly aligned organizations throughout the region.   Read more