Government

Algeria is a member of the African Union, the Arab League, and OPEC. It is a semi-presidential republic, which means that both the president and the prime minister govern the country. The current president is Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the prime minister is Ahmed Ouyahia.  The president, who serves five-year terms, selects the prime minister. There are also no restrictions as to how many terms a president may serve, who also controls the army. The current system highlights the disproportionate power the president holds, which has led some outsiders to regard the country as an authoritarian state.

Prime Minister Ouyahia and President Bouteflika

Election for the legislature is slated for May 10th, while the presidential election will take place in 2014. There are many parties in Algeria, but the largest is the National Liberation Front. The FLN (French abbreviation) holds the most power in the country due to its historic importance, as the party waged the war for independence against France. The party seeks to maintain a secular state with a moderate Islamic influence. It is this secularism, which led to the recent civil war I mentioned last blog post. The country was torn by a civil war after the FLN annulled an election that was predicted to be won by a party with Islamic fundamentalist ideologies. The FLN party is also known for its pro-market stance, as oil and natural gas make up the majority of their exports.

Algerian Oil Field

The country's membership in the African Union, moderate approach to politics and religion, and economic opportunities in the energy industry makes the country a generally inviting place for Africans and other migrants.

Algerians

Sources

CIA World Factbook, Algeria: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ag.html

Algerian president sets elections for May 10: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-02-09/algeria-elections/53031590/1

Algeria deputies allow third presidential term: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gBXuH284ngl30Ife9WhcsTCFshSg

PM and President Picture: http://hogra.h.o.pic.centerblog.net/o/6afe9044.jpg

Algerian Oil Field Picture: http://i3.makcdn.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/134979/files//2009/08/hassi310.jpg

Algerians Picture: http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/sports/photos/2010/05/07/algeria-fans-091118.jpg