Salima Masrati, President of the High Authority for Transparency, Prevention, and Combat of Corruption, highlighted that Algeria has established a comprehensive legal system with constitutional and legal guarantees to ensure the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.
During a national symposium titled “Developing Electoral Processes: Enhancing Integrity and Transparency for Sustainable Democracy” held at Kasdi Merbah University in Ouargla, Masrati explained that her authority “works to promote a culture of transparency, prevent and combat corruption, contribute to public ethics, and strengthen the principles of transparency and good governance.”
She pointed out that transparency is a pivotal mechanism to ensure the credibility and integrity of the electoral process, which in turn strengthens citizens’ trust in state institutions, making it necessary to enhance it as one of the pillars of good governance.
In this context, she noted that “ensuring the transparency of the electoral process relies on several means, including monitoring the financing of election campaigns, which is a fertile ground for political corruption.”
Masoud Amarna, Secretary-General of the National Federation of Higher Education and Scientific Research, highlighted the role of the university as an active partner contributing to the developmental dynamics in economic and social fields, and also its role in the political field by contributing to the formation of political and social awareness.
In the same vein, Professor Taher Helilat, Rector of Kasdi Merbah University, mentioned that the university offers a master’s program specializing in “Electoral Tools and Political Communication,” reflecting the university’s involvement in the state’s reforms to enhance the requirements of integrity and transparency.
Participants in the symposium, including university professors and members of the High Authority for Transparency, Prevention, and Combat of Corruption, discussed several topics such as “Guarantees of Election Integrity in Light of Election Laws and Corruption Prevention, the Importance of Integrity and Transparency in the Electoral Process, the Dimensions of Integrity and Transparency in Various Stages of the Electoral Process, and Protecting Electoral Data from Fraud and Cyber Attacks.”
The symposium concluded with recommendations, including the adoption of electronic voting to ensure the highest degrees of transparency and integrity in elections, bringing regulatory and advisory bodies closer to the citizens, using information and communication technologies in organizing and monitoring elections, and including anti-corruption and public ethics courses in university curricula across various disciplines.
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Election Transparency in Algeria
