Algeria - 50.83
98
Baby steps towards democracy
There is no better country to showcase the mixed success of the Arab Spring than Algeria. Mass protests both in the first round of Arab Spring protests and the so-called “Arab Summer” protests from 2018-2022 have sparked steps towards democracy in Algeria. Several constitutional reforms have shifted power away from the once-imperial president to parliament. The fairness of Algerian elections has improved notably in recent years and the bar for entry to elections has been lowered. However, Algeria remains far from democratic. The Interior Ministry must approve parties before their participation, which means that many political dissident parties and almost all parties from before the Algerian Civil War are banned. The military holds a significant sway over politics and electoral results are often dubious. Algeria continues to hold a number of political prisoners and maintains a number of restrictions on freedom of expression. While Arab Spring reforms have not been fully implemented, the efforts of Arab Spring protestors were not in vain as the Algerian government has taken several key steps towards democracy.
Human Rights - 48
Algeria has functionally abolished the death penalty; the last execution was carried out in 1993. Algeria has recently been easing restrictions on Hirak, the group that organized pro-democracy protests in 2018. Hirak was allowed to protest unimpeded in January 2020 and released seventy political prisoners, many of whom were part of Hirak. However, ninety-three political prisoners remain in detention, and peaceful protestors are frequently detained and released in revolving-door jails. The government used COVID lockdowns to justify shutting down peaceful protests nationwide. Algeria has several unenforced laws hampering freedom of association. The Association Act forbids association with groups “detrimental to state security and the fundamental interests of Algeria.” While this law has gone unenforced, it has left a number of groups in legal limbo. Algeria has a number of laws prohibiting the dissemination of false news. Additionally, a 2020 decree stated that news outlets must have offices in Algeria and base their Algerian operations from these offices, under the oversight of Algerian officials. French and English publications not based in the country can only post news online and stories must be reviewed by Algerian authorities. Algeria has repeatedly expelled sub-Saharan African refugees back to Mali and Niger, where they face threats both from terror groups and their own governments. The Penal Code and the Family Code discriminate against women in matters of inheritance, custody, divorce, and marriage. These same codes also allow rapists off the hook with a written pardon from their victims. Homosexuality is illegal in Algeria. Abortion is legal to preserve the physical and mental health of a woman.
Democracy - 36
Algeria has instituted several constitutional reforms shifting power from the president to the parliament and the prime minister. The president was a previously dictatorial position but constitutional reforms in 2016 implemented term limits and reforms in 2020 shifted significant power to the prime minister. The president is directly elected but the electoral process is opaque. Parliamentary elections are often subject to ballot box stuffing. The government recently lowered the minimum requirements to participate in elections. Candidates are now only required to gain 50,000 signatures and removed the requirement for candidates to obtain six hundred signatures from other elected officials, which effectively served as a mechanism to lock out opposition candidates. Elections are often subject to low voter turnout and opposition boycotts. The Interior Ministry must approve parties before they can participate in elections, meaning that most pre-civil war parties, as well as a number of opposition parties, are banned. The military holds significant sway over politics. Women hold a large role in politics, especially compared to the rest of the region, but LGBT are disenfranchised.
Freedom - 32
The government has been known to periodically block access to certain websites. A 2020 decree stated that news outlets publishing content in Algeria must base their Algerian operations from an office in the country to be monitored by the authorities. Foreign language publications, mostly in French and English, can only publish online and must have their content reviewed by the authorities before publishing. Algeria has several unenforced laws hampering freedom of religion, most notably 2006 Decree 06-03, which states that non-Muslim worship can only be conducted in “approved buildings and residences.” Despite the general lack of enforcement of this decree, the government has been known to declare legitimate religious groups as “cults” and shut them down. Algeria’s Association Act forbids association with groups “detrimental to state security and the fundamental interests of Algeria.” This law has gone generally unenforced but has left a number of groups in legal limbo. The activities of NGOs in the country are highly restricted, including for refugees in the country’s South. All drugs are illegal in Algeria but these laws go generally unenforced as Algeria is a major part of the African Cocaine Run. Algeria may issue gun ownership licenses for bolt-action rifles, shotguns, and air rifles but a hunting license is required to bear firearms in Algeria.
Economy - 74
Health - 78
Algeria has a life expectancy of 77 years and an infant mortality rate of 2%. 30% of Algerians are obese and 4.7% are malnourished. Algeria provides free, high-quality healthcare to all of its citizens but some of its remote residents as well as the country’s Tuareg nomad population lack easy access to modern medicine. 93% of Algerians have access to clean, running water.
Corruption - 25
Algerian courts are highly subject to political pressure but are generally free of corruption. Additionally, Algerian police, especially in the country’s North, are some of the least corrupt in North Africa. Public services must be bribed into action. Embezzlement in Algeria’s tax administration is very common. The Algerian government shows extreme favoritism at nearly all levels.
Competency - 60
Algeria has several unenforced laws. The government is failing to provide for Tuareg nomads and its remote population in the Sahara. The Algerian government is generally well-run and has managed to hold on to power while implementing Arab Spring reforms.
Future - 65
Algeria has make several significant steps towards democracy since the Arab Spring protests. However, Algeria’s economy took a major hit due to the COVID pandemic and will likely take several years to recover.
Actions Abroad - 62
Algeria has been harboring the Polisario Front and harboring human rights violators. On the flipside, Algeria has condemned human rights violations from Morocc-backed forces in Western Sahara. Algeria has been an active member of the African Union and has deployed significant amounts of humanitarian aid to poorer5 member states. Algeria withdrew its ambassador to France and condemned France for “inadmissible interferences with Algerian internal affairs.” Algeria terminated all relations with Morocco over their Western Sahara dispute.
0.5% of Algerians live below the international poverty line and 25% live below the national poverty line. Algeria has a low economic disparity. 11.7% of Algerians are unemployed. The minimum wage in Algeria is $170 per month. Algeria has a strong universal healthcare system, providing high-quality care throughout the country. However, in the country’s sparsely-populated Southern provinces, there are few comprehensive healthcare facilities outside of cities, leaving the country’s most remote residents and Tuareg nomads without ready access to modern medicine. The Algerian economy shrunk 5.1% in 2020 and grew 1% in 2019.