ALGERIA: Algeria's first female presidential candidate takes on male presidential candidates for a second time

Record ID: 573617

  • Title: ALGERIA: Algeria's first female presidential candidate takes on male presidential candidates for a second time
  • Date: 8th April 2009
  • Summary: FANS IN HALL DURING ELECTION RALLY HANOUNE WAVING FANS AT RALLY
  • Embargoed: 23rd April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Algeria
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACPQGQ42MCCQTX4LDMLF0NXFXH
  • Story Text: Far from being repressed by a male dominated Muslim society, Louisa Hanoune, Algeria's first female presidential candidate is taking on the men again in the 2009 presidential campaign.
    The number of women working and not wearing the veil in Algeria can surprise many a visitor to this male-dominated Muslim society, but there is one woman in Algeria not happy with this level of equality, she wants to take on the men at the top.
    Louisa Hanoune, leader of the Algerian Worker's Party (Parti Travailliste), was the first Algerian woman to run for president in the 2004 election and is the only female to run in the upcoming April 9th poll.
    It might be the second time that Algeria has had a female presidential candidate - one of the few countries in the Arab world - but while conditions for women are improving in Algeria, Hanoune still has a long way to go.
    In 2004 Hanoune received only 1 percent of the vote.
    Equality of the sexes is enshrined in Algeria's constitution, but it is a very conservative society where women take second place. Illiteracy among women in 2007 was twice as high as amongst men.
    According to a recent study by the National Economic and Social Council, female politicians still make up only seven percent of parliament, with none chairing a committee and only three are government ministers.
    But more and more Algerian women are focusing on their studies and careers, and the average marriage age rising from 18 in 1966 to 31 in 2008.
    Hanoune announced her candidacy under her slogan: "Popular Autonomy safeguards National Autonomy", trying to quell criticism that the 2009 election results were a foregone conclusion.
    The decision by Algerian lawmakers to scrap a constitutional rule limiting presidents to a maximum of two five-year mandates has enabled the incumbent president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to run for a third term.
    No weighty opponent has emerged to challenge the head of state, who is widely tipped to win the election and stay in power until 2014. As the only woman in the presidential race, Hanoune is the only other candidate being spoken about.

    "This woman really convinced me that she will solve the problems of the country," said 44-year-old Nadia Yassef. And 32-year-old Saida agreed, saying, "I am sure she is able to carry the responsibility of the country. She is a courageous woman and she keeps her promises."
    6 million Algerians can vote in 47,150 polling stations in Africa's second-biggest country and overseas. Almost 1 million can vote abroad and there are polling stations in France, Italy, Tunisia and Canada. The turnout in the two last presidential elections in 2004 and 1999 was 58.1 percent and 60 percent. In a 2007 legislative election, it fell to 35 percent, the lowest in Algerian history.
    The lack of serious challengers has prompted some government critics to predict that Algerians will boycott the polls in protest at what they see as a meaningless exercise, so the government has launched a campaign to encourage Algerians to use their vote, Hanoune will be hoping that the traditionally high self-interest of women voters might be in her favour.
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