5 Candidates to Run in Algeria's Presidential Election

Five candidates will run in Algeria’s presidential election next month, including two former prime ministers, according to the electoral body chairman Mohamed Chorfi on Saturday.

Earlier, the concerned authorities said the Dec. 12 vote would be the only way to get out of a crisis Algeria been facing since the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April under pressure from protesters.

The Algeria’s presidential election's candidates include former prime ministers Ali Benflis and Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and two former ministers, one of them a moderate Islamist, plus the head of a small party_ former culture minister Azzedddine Mihoubi and former tourism minister Abdelkader Bengrine_ and Abdelaziz Belaid, head of the El Mostakbal Movement party.

The announcement came a day after tens of thousands of Algerians marched for a 37th consecutive week to demand an end to Algeria's post-colonial political system.

Protesters said they don't trust those currently in power to ensure democratic elections, citing their past links to Bouteflika.

23 Applied for Algeria’s Presidential Election

Twenty-three candidates had sent their applications to the election authority, but most failed to meet requirements. Rules for candidates included gathering 50,000 signatures from citizens on voting lists from at least 50 regions.

Those who were rejected will be allowed to file appeals, according to Reuters.

Economists said the changes were necessary to reduce the state’s reliance on oil, which accounts for 85% of Algeria’s exports. But as members of the ruling elite, their relatives and friendly businessmen made fortunes, people grew angry.

Algeria came in at 105th out of 180 countries in Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index last year with a score of 35 out of 100, below the average for the Middle East and North Africa.

To make matters worse, when global oil prices plunged in 2014, hitting Algeria’s foreign currency reserves, the government responded by cutting back its lavish spending on social welfare programs.