Spokesman of Algeria’s Movement for the Society of Peace (HMS/MSP) has welcomed the plans of the Islamic Salvation Army, the military wing of the Algerian Islamic Salvation Front, for establishing a political party and its participation in the political process. Farouk Abu Serag AL-Dhahab, MSP spokesman, confirmed that the movement supports rights of all powers to practise their political activities.
It is worth mentioning that the former chief of the Islamic Salvation Army, Madani Mezraq, has announced his plans for establishing a political party that shall include old members in the Islamic Salvation Army. Mezraq is an old member in the Islamic Salvation Army and campaigned for supporting Bouteflika’s plan for a reconciliation and he sought to persuade his former colleagues of disarming.
It is believed that forming a party that including former fighters in the Islamic Salvation Army, the military wing of the Islamic Salvation Front, may accelerate a return to normal for the stalled political scene after 15 year of political violence.
The low turnout in the latest parliamentary elections is a worrying message as it reflects the Algerians disbelief in the future and politics in general in spite of the rise of oil revenues. According to Algerian law, a license must be issued from Ministry of Interior before forming a political party.