Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has formally requested the Movement for the Society of Peace join the next government, the head of the party said.
“I met with Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal yesterday [Monday], after we were contacted two days ago through a mediator to confirm the authenticity of a request to enter the government,” Abdul Razzaq Muqri said in a statement posted on his official Facebook page.
However, President Bouteflika’s move of inviting the Movement for the Society of Peace to join the next government has led to a sharp internal division in the largest Islamist party between those who absolutely rejected the whole idea and others who supported participation in the Algerian government.
The differences of opinion between the current led by the party leader, Abdul Razzaq Muqri, and his supporters within the National Office, who totally refused the idea of participation in the government, and the former head of joining the government, Abu Jarrah Soltani, and his supporters supported the idea.
Nasser Hamdadoush, a member of the MSP National Office and supporter of the head of the party, Abdul Razzaq Mukri, said that “The rigged election results are enough for pushing the MSP to reject offer of joining the government.”
“The conditions set by the MSP to join the government have not been met,” he said, recalling the conditions as: “the integrity of elections, the party’s access to a majority or a considerable parliamentary bloc, and participation in a national consensus government program.”
On the other hand, Abu Jarrah Soltani is pushing for the option of participation in the government after he led the MSP to join the government over nine years (2003-2012), but later withdrew from the government under pressure from angry party members following the MSP loss in the 2012 parliamentary elections.
The Movement for the Society of Peace came third in the last parliamentary elections which were held last week.
According to Muqri’s statement, Sellal confirmed that this request had come from Bouteflika adding that the decision to join the government will be taken by the party’s National Shura Council, which will meet after the Constitutional Council’s decision regarding the appeals.
According to temporary results announced by the Council itself, the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) held 164 seats, the National Democratic Rally (NDP) won 100 and the Movement for Society of Peace (ISLAMI) received 33 seats.
