The five candidates of the Algerian presidential election have signed the Charter of Ethics to show their respect for the electoral procedures.
The electoral campaign commences on Sunday amid division between Algerians regarding the benefit of the elections. Observes expect that the five candidates will face discomfort during their attempts to hold rallies.
As the electoral campaign of the sixth diversified presidential election launches, there are concerns of slips amid a popular rejection of the elections and the possibility of some candidates facing harassment when getting down into the square.
The five candidates are, Ali Benflis, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Azzedine Mihoubi, Abdelaziz Belaid, and Abdelkader Bengrina.
The Charter of Ethics includes the leading guidelines and practices which comprise the moral behavior framework that all the players of the electoral process are required to implement.
Bengrina had to leave Tindouf last Thursday when he tried to hold an electoral rally – dozens of protesters gathered near a hall allocated by the authorities for him to meet his followers. They chanted against him describing him as the ‘candidate of gangs’.
Ali Benflis underwent the same scenario two weeks ago when he was banned by protesters in the capital from entering a restaurant where he was supposed to convene with his followers.
President of Algerian National Independent Authority for Elections (ANIE) Mohamed Charfi pledged to work for the sake of ensuring integral and democratic voting with keenness on treating the candidates equally during the electoral campaign.
Further, Algeria's Interim President Abdelkader Bensalah urged making the presidential elections a national wedding, while Minister of Communication and Government Spokesman Hassan Rabehi said that the authorities have taken all required procedures to guarantee the electoral process.
Algerian Army Chief of Staff Ahmed Gaid Salah pledged that the military institute will not be biased to any of the candidates.