ALGIERS // Algeria's Islamists are hoping they can surf the post-Arab Spring "green wave" and win Thursday's polls, but divisions and dark memories of their previous electoral victory could hamper their chances.
After previously banned Islamist movements seized upon the wind of change sweeping the region to win polls in Tunisia and Morocco, Algeria's Islamists were bristling with confidence ahead of the legislative election.
"Our alliance will be the top political force in the next national popular assembly," Kamel Mida, a spokesman for the Green Algeria movement, which groups three of the seven Islamist parties contesting the vote.
Several factors set Algeria apart however, not least among them is that the Islamists are already in power.
Mr Mida belongs to the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), the Algerian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which until January had a three-way alliance with the parties of the president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and the prime minister, Ahmed Ouyahia.
But the party, which has 51 out of 389 seats in the outgoing assembly, left the alliance to join forces for the election campaign with Islamist parties Ennahda and El-Islah.
It nevertheless kept its four ministers in the government.
Mr Mida said he could see Green Algeria sweeping "at least 120 seats" in the enlarged 462-seat house.
"Islamist voters will take part in the ballot," he said. "During the election campaign, they turned out en masse, while our opponents struggled for numbers at their rallies and will suffer from voter disaffection."
Abdallah Djaballah, the founder of the more hardline Justice and Development Front, was equally optimistic, "because the Algerian people are Muslim".
Many analysts and politicians however, including some in the Islamist camp, doubt the Islamists can record a major breakthrough.
"The likelihood of a crushing victory in the upcoming legislative vote is almost non-existent," said Nacer Djabi, a sociologist and political pundit. "They are too divided."
Abdelaziz Belkhadem, the chairman of the president's National Liberation Front (FLN) party, also argued there was no risk of a "Green landslide".
"Islamist parties will muster no more than 35 to 40 per cent," he said.
The Algeria scenario also differs from Arab Spring countries because the Islamists here have already had their revolution.
It was two decades ago - but the scars are still raw.
When Algeria held its first multiparty elections in December 1991, the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) won the first round handily.
That prompted the army to halt the electoral process in January of the following year and launch a crackdown.
The FIS was disbanded, various Islamist groups emerged - Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is the latest incarnation of one of them - and the ensuing civil war killed up to 200,000 people.
"Algeria has already been through this experience in 1991 and history will not repeat itself," Mr Belkhadem said.
The legacy of what Algerians often refer to as "the dark years" has left the Islamists weakened and divided, said Louisa Hanoune, the secretary general of the opposition Workers Party.
"The Algerian people learnt the lessons from the Islamist episode and want to avoid a repeat of this national tragedy at all costs," she said.
Mr Ouyahia, the prime minister, made this a campaign argument in the run-up to Thursday's polls, reminding voters that "they have already paid a heavy price" and arguing he could see no Arab Spring, but rather an "Arab Plague".
Protests over the cost of living in broke out in Algeria in January 2011, only days after the beginning of the uprising in Tunisia, leaving at least five dead and hundreds wounded.
But the Islamists failed to piggyback the movement, which was led mainly by youths born during the worst years of the civil war who were little inclined to team up with religious groups.
The main parties in Algeria’s legislative elections
The National Liberation Front (FLN)
The FLN has dominated Algeria’s political life since the war of independence from France and was Algeria’s single party until 1989. Its honorary chairman is President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
It won 136 seats out of 389 up for grabs in the previous legislative polls in 2007 and joined two other parties in a governing coalition.
The National Rally for Democracy (RND)
The RND was founded by close aides to the former president Liamine Zeroual and its base initially consisted of “patriots” who fought against Islamist groups during the civil war in the 90s.
The RND is led by Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, who is described as close to the powerful military and a member of the so-called “eradicators” faction which advocates the toughest line against Islamism.
It has 62 lawmakers in the outgoing assembly who are part of the FLN-led governing alliance.
The Movement of Society for Peace (MSP)
The MSP, led by Bouguerra Soltani, was founded in 1990 when one-party rule was ended and is a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. It was initially known as Hamas.
It did not join the more radical Islamic Salvation Front during the civil war and remained loyal to the FLN president, becoming Algeria’s largest legal Islamist party.
It won 51 seats in 2007 and joined a governing coalition.
The Socialist Forces Front (FFS)
The FFS was founded in 1963, a year after independence, and is Algeria’s oldest opposition party. It is a secularist party and a member of the Socialist International.
The party is led by founding member Hocine Ait Ahmed.
The FFS ended 10 years of election boycott over fraud accusations to join the fray in Thursday’s polls.
The Front For Justice and Development
The party was launched in February by a charismatic Islamist leader, Abdallah Djaballah, who had previously founded both the Ennahda and El Islah parties.
Mr Djaballah’s views are close those of the Muslim Brotherhood but considers himself as part of the opposition.
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The%20specs
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The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
Japan 30-10 Russia
Tries: Matsushima (3), Labuschange | Golosnitsky
Conversions: Tamura, Matsuda | Kushnarev
Penalties: Tamura (2) | Kushnarev
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,600hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.4seconds
0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
Top speed: 440kph
Price: Dh13,200,000
Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:
Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16
Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
Power: 1,500hp
Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
Top speed: 350kph
Price: Dh13,600,000
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
