ABSTRACT

Since the reform of the electoral code in 1996, the Algerian community abroad participates in the election of their representatives in the People’s National Assembly. Candidates, who must themselves be Algerian residents abroad, are chosen from partisan or independent lists. Although there are only eight seats reserved for Algerians abroad, these elections enabled political parties for the first time to solicit the votes of the Algerian community established abroad. The aim of this chapter is to show the relation between the representation of Algerian political parties abroad and the results achieved since the parliamentary elections held in 1997. The number of Algerian voters abroad is significant, approaching one million. This is an opportunity for the political parties, despite the limited number of seats, to get closer to Algerian citizens abroad. The organization of these elections shows that there is a question of partisan representation, but which reflects the divisions between Algerian political parties. What are the stakes of the decision to associate Algerians abroad in legislative elections? What is the strategy of political parties to win the votes of Algerian living abroad? What are the issues that mobilize Algerian political parties to solicit their votes? How does partisan competition take place in a foreign jurisdiction?