Louisa Hanoune withdraws candidacy from Algerian presidential election

Louisa Hanoune, leader of the Algerian Workers' Party (Trotskyist), who was imprisoned following the Hirak protest movement in 2019, announced on Saturday her withdrawal from the upcoming presidential election. 

In a statement, Hanoune cited "unjust conditions" and a "regressive and undemocratic legislative framework" as the reasons for her decision.

This announcement comes after Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared on Thursday his intention to seek a new term. In a Facebook post, Hanoune added that her party would also not participate in the "voting process on September 7," the date of the anticipated presidential election. 

She condemned what she described as an "intention to exclude the Workers' Party from the presidential election and to undermine the people's right to freely choose between political programs."

Hanoune, who had previously run for president in 2004, 2009, and 2014, did not provide further details but indicated that her decision was based on "information" available to her. A prominent figure in Algerian opposition, Louisa Hanoune was incarcerated in May 2019, during the height of the Hirak movement, after being charged with "conspiracies" against the state and the military. She was released in February 2020 and acquitted in January 2021.

President Tebboune, 78, announced on Thursday that he would seek a new term, citing "the desire of many parties, political and non-political organizations, and the youth." Tebboune, who is the frontrunner for the election, won the last election with 58% of the vote, a contest marked by low voter turnout. 

He succeeded Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was forced to resign in 2019 under pressure from the military and the Hirak, a popular protest movement. A former prime minister under Bouteflika, Tebboune oversaw the suppression of the Hirak movement that led the protests.

The decision of Hanoune and her party not to participate in the upcoming election reflects the ongoing tensions and challenges within Algeria's political landscape. As the election date approaches, the political environment remains fraught with allegations of unfair practices and a lack of genuine democratic processes.