Constitution Under Fire

constitution as akin to that of Iran’s supreme leader.

Opponents of the new constitution, ranging from Islamists to leftists and socialists, see it as nothing more than a media stunt that ignores more than 18 months of demands from protesters genuine political reform.

Some also argue that involving the army in foreign combat missions would risk getting entangled in attrition warfare and invite terrorist reprisals. In addition, the draft constitution ignores the heritage, history and values of the Algerian people, as it hints at omitting references to articles about Islamic, Arab and Amazigh identities in

for future iterations of the constitution. It assigns a special status to some Amazigh municipalities – a step toward decentralisation, which Islamists and nationalists adamantly oppose.

If voters approve the new constitution, it will be Algeria’s seventh in 58 years. The six previous versions failed to modernise the economy, democratise governance and keep the military focused on national defense – and it’s unlikely that the latest instalment will be any different.

At best, it will shift the public’s attention away from the military’s excessive control over people’s lives.

Hilal Khashan is a Professor of political science at the American University of Beirut

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