Algeria’s Presidential Elections: Hassani Cherif Promises “Deep Economic Reforms”

Transition to a Parliamentary System

Central to Hassani Cherif’s political vision is the transition to a parliamentary system. He emphasized that this shift would involve a partial revision of the Constitution to strengthen the legislative institution’s powers and enhance the role of the people in governance. “The revision of the Constitution focuses on three key points: establishing a parliamentary system, ensuring a balance of powers, and consolidating individual freedoms,” he stated.

According to Hassani Cherif, a parliamentary system would enable greater public and political participation in governance, enhance legislative oversight, and increase accountability within the executive branch. He described his Forsa program as a collective effort to reform the political ecosystem, thereby reinforcing democracy and ensuring a balanced distribution of power.

Enhancing Local Governance and Territorial Management

Hassani Cherif also highlighted the importance of administrative reform, particularly the revision of communal and wilaya codes. He advocates for granting more prerogatives to local authorities to improve their effectiveness in managing regional affairs. As part of this approach, he proposes increasing the number of wilayas to 150, which he believes would provide more flexibility in local governance.

The candidate’s program places special emphasis on the southern regions of Algeria, proposing decentralized socio-economic development plans tailored to the unique needs of each area. He also suggests revisiting the distribution of public enterprises across various territories to ensure balanced regional development.

Preserving the Social Character of the State

Economically, Hassani Cherif envisions a model that balances the social character of the state with economic liberalization. His program aims to achieve social justice, equitable wealth distribution, and equal opportunities for both public and private sectors. He pledges to improve the investment climate by reforming fiscal and banking systems to reduce taxes while maintaining the 51/49 rule exclusively for strategic and sovereign sectors.

Strategic Focus on Border Wilayas and National Security

Hassani Cherif underscores the strategic importance of border wilayas in his program, linking their development to national security. He proposes enhancing public services, including transportation, healthcare, education, and water supply, in these regions to ensure their stability and integration into the national economy.

Economic Diversification and Market Expansion

In the economic realm, Hassani Cherif plans to boost Algeria’s economic growth by targeting new markets, particularly in Africa, and by promoting the transformation of national resources, such as petroleum and minerals. He also suggests implementing performance plans for public economic groups, with the possibility of opening their capital to both Algerian and foreign investors to increase their contribution to the national economy.

His program further includes the creation of a Zakat bank to finance social projects and the development of an Islamic financial industry. In the water sector, he advocates for the exploitation of underground water resources and seawater desalination, alongside encouraging agricultural production, especially for staple foods.

Social Initiatives

On the social front, Hassani Cherif proposes a series of measures to support vulnerable groups, including pensions for divorced and widowed women, professional integration allowances, and benefits for people with special needs. His program is designed to foster social equity while advancing Algeria’s economic and political landscape.