Scheduled for September 7, Economic issues have taken center stage in Algeria’s presidential election campaigns, with elections featuring incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the Movement of Society for Peace party Abdelaali Hassani Cherif and Secretary General of the Socialist Forces Front Youcef Aouchiche.
Observers and economic experts in Algeria note that the economy has received the most attention in the candidates’ campaigns, focusing on measures to boost economic and industrial activity, in addition to social commitments to improve citizens’ living conditions, particularly the housing crisis, creating job opportunities, increasing wages, among other actions aimed at garnering voters’ support.
In this context, economic advisor and expert Dr. Mahfoud Kaoubi told Qatar News Agency that the three candidates’ electoral programs converged on the need to build an economy less dependent on oil, emphasizing sectors that offer significant added value and prioritize emerging industries. The pr
ograms also address issues related to purchasing power and living conditions, as well as measures to tackle the impact of international crises on the Algerian economy.
Kaoubi added that all three candidates relied on a socio-economic approach during the first week of the campaign to attract voters. He noted that while the economic programs are full of promises, they lack practical commitments, such as detailed execution plans and specific timelines.
Similarly, economic affairs expert Dr. Farid Cortel told QNA that the economy occupies a significant place in the candidates’ speeches in the presidential race, in which they promised to reform the sector and establish a solid economic foundation for Algeria’s significant progress. He however, stressed the need for the candidates’ economic programs to be realistic and feasible within the country’s financial capabilities.
Cortel also said that the candidates’ economic programs have allocated considerable space in their political discourse to future global challe
nges, such as food, water, and energy security. Their plans include investments in strategic crops like wheat and corn, enhancing seawater desalination projects in coastal provinces, and advancing energy transformation programs, including renewable energy and hydrogen projects.
On the one hand Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s electoral program proposes enhancing economic achievements and maintaining the momentum of growth, stimulating investments, and aiming to increase the gross domestic product (GDP) to about USD 400 billion. It prioritizes supporting the agricultural sector to ensure food security for Algerians, eliminating food dependency by encouraging agricultural investments in the desert, and creating Algerian or partnership projects to reduce import costs. It also includes efforts to provide potable water by establishing 19 desalination plants.
Tebboune also aims to continue improving Algerians’ purchasing power by reducing taxes and increasing wages, which he intends to raise by 100 percent by 2027, as well
as increasing pension allowances and continuing the fight against inflation, which has decreased from 11 to 6 percent.
In contrast, the candidate for the Movement of Society for Peace party Abdelaali Hassani Cherif pledges to increase the GDP to USD 450 billion, raise individual income to USD 9,000, reduce unemployment rate to 5 percent, and lower inflation to 3 percent, while aiming for a growth rate above 7 percent. Cherif also promised to revise the mechanisms for estimating the value of the dinar with integrated approaches.
On the social front, Cherif promised to achieve development and balance in wealth distribution among all Algerians, address unemployment and housing issues, review various allowances to establish balance and social justice, and commit to supporting vulnerable groups, youth, women, and retirees.
As for Socialist Forces Front candidate Youcef Aouchiche, he sees the need for economic measures related to achieving food sovereignty, agricultural planning, livestock production, and managi
ng agricultural land. This includes establishing a national food security agency. Aouchiche also pledged to increase non-hydrocarbon exports to USD 40 billion and raise the value of the currency.
Regarding social policy, Aouchiche’s program focuses on evaluating purchasing power by committing to raise the minimum wage to 40,000 dinars and eliminating income tax for wages below 50,000 dinars, along with capping food prices among other measures.
Source: Qatar News Agency