Hisn Al-Mateen Bloc calls for clean politics and criticises remarks by Aouchiche and Osmani

Amid ongoing statements and debates on the political situation, Hisn Al-Mateen Bloc affirms that the main challenge today is not trading accusations or settling scores, but rebuilding trust between citizens and political actors.

The issue of “political nomadism”, or elected officials switching parties, remains a matter governed by laws overseen by the Independent National Authority for Elections; the priority, however, is to entrench a culture of moral commitment and respect for the pledge made to voters.

We note with regret that the statements of Youcef Aouchiche, leader of the Socialist Forces Front, are ill-judged and unacceptable in such sweeping terms, as they feed a discourse of suspicion and undermine trust among political actors instead of calming the scene and uniting efforts. An inclusive discourse opening the way to reform would have been preferable.

As political rhetoric intensifies ahead of the campaign, statements have also come from others, including Dr Lamine Osmani, president of the Sawt Echaab party, accusing some parties of being “not politically formed” — remarks we consider ill-considered at this sensitive time, and which, given well-known tensions including reported disputes with FLN leaders, may be read as coded messages rather than positions of principle.

Hisn Al-Mateen Bloc believes this critical stage requires:

• moving beyond rhetoric that deepens division;
• putting responsibility ahead of one-upmanship;
• bringing together talent rather than courting loyalties.

The national “societal reunification” initiative we advocate is based on:

• uniting national efforts;
• serving Algeria away from narrow calculations;
• strengthening trust in clean political action.

Algeria today needs statesmen who put the higher interest above all else, not quarrels that make citizens lose hope.