A so-called urgent resolution on the situation in Algeria, to be voted on Thursday, divides the political groups in the European Parliament. A presidential election is scheduled for 12 December in the country.
As such, the S&D, supported by Renew Europe and the GUE/NGL, wants a resolution calling for democratic transition in Algeria, on repression and on imprisoned activists. “The European Parliament has not had a word to say about the 8 months of massive and peaceful demonstrations in Algeria. It is a paradox that the more important and close the subject is (to Europe), the less we are able to talk”, said Raphaël Glucksmann, who drafted this resolution. Aware of the stakes, however, he pointed out that care must be taken not to interfere. The resolution should therefore not condemn the election that is organised by the government but contested by the population.
“We cannot remain indifferent to the Algerian situation and we must politically support this movement”, added Bernard Guetta (Renew Europe, France).
But this resolution is a matter of debate. The EPP would like to add, according to Mr Glucksmann, a “strong religious dimension”. While he considers the problem of freedom of religion to be extremely important, the S&D member believes that it is not the same subject. “If we want a text on repression, it would be a shame to make it a crusade”, he added, believing that it would offer the Algerian government a propaganda tool on the Christian/Muslim division.
On Monday evening, at the opening of the session, Mr Glucksmann had already won a victory by changing the name of the debate and the emergency resolution put to the vote on 28 November from “the imprisonment of human rights and religious freedom defenders in Algeria” to “the situation of freedoms in Algeria”.
The Greens/EFA are also opposed to the resolution, not in terms of content, but on the text as such. While they note that no one has taken an interest in the marches in the country since their inception, they regret that they are beginning to worry about them “15 days before the elections”. “A rule says that we don’t make resolutions just before elections and we try to keep applying it”, justified Frenchwoman Salima Yenbou. “We think that on the eve of the elections, this can be a subject of destabilisation and lead to chaos, it can undermine the credibility of the Algerians marching”, she added, adding that we should not “steal their fight”. “The situation is very critical, the resolution could pour fuel on the fire”, she insisted. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)