THE LEGISLATIVE ENSHRINEMENT OF PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES IN ALGERIA AND THE CHALLENGES OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION
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Abstract
Participatory democracy is a set of mechanisms and procedures designed to involve civil society actors and ordinary citizens in formulating public policy, whether at the local or national level, and in making decisions that serve the public interest. Successive Algerian constitutions and legislation governing local authorities have sought to emphasise participatory democracy, recognising its crucial role as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, representative democracy. The participatory model emphasises broadening the scope of involvement and fostering a consultative approach, with the ultimate goal of achieving the practical realisation of participatory democracy across institutions and at all levels of governance. This is aimed at promoting rational and accountable management of public affairs, reinforced by the active engagement of citizens in decision-making processes. However, implementing participatory democracy at the local level faces numerous legal obstacles, others rooted in political considerations and additional challenges that have hindered its full realisation. Overcoming these impediments necessitates the adoption of various mechanisms to enable participatory democracy to fulfil its pioneering role in this domain. These mechanisms pertain both to public authorities and civil society actors.
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References
I. Primary Sources
Constitutions:
• Constitution of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (1963). Official Gazette, no. 64, issued 10 September 1963.
• Ordinance No. 76–97 of 22 November 1976, concerning promulgating the Constitution of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. Official Gazette, no. 94, issued 24 November 1976.
• Presidential Decree No. 89–18 of 28 February 1989, concerning the publication of the constitutional amendment approved by referendum on 23 February 1989. The official gazette, no. 09, was issued 1 March 1989.
• Presidential Decree No. 96–438 of 7 December 1996, concerning the publication of the constitutional amendment approved by referendum on 28 November 1996. Official Gazette, no. 76, issued 8 December 1996.
• Law No. 16–01 of 6 March 2016, concerning the constitutional amendment. Official Gazette, no. 14, issued 7 March 2016.
• Presidential Decree No. 20–442 of 30 December 2020, concerning the promulgation of the constitutional amendment approved by the referendum on 1 November 2020. Official Gazette, no. 82, issued 30 December 2020.
Laws and Ordinances:
• Law No. 12–07 of 21 February 2012, concerning the Wilaya. Official Gazette, no. 12, issued 29 February 2012.
• Law No. 11–10 of 22 June 2011, concerning the Municipality. Official Gazette, no. 37, issued 3 July 2011.
II. Secondary References
Books:
• Aajjal, Mohamed Lamine. Ishkāliyat al-Mushārakah al-Siyāsiyyah wa Thaqāfat al-Silm [The Problematic of Political Participation and the Culture of Peace]. Majallat al-ʿUlūm al-Insāniyya (Journal of Human Sciences), no. 12, Biskra, 2007.
• Driss, Nabil. Al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Tashārukiyyah: Maqārabāt fī al-Mushārakah al-Siyāsiyyah [Participatory Democracy: Approaches to Political Participation]. Amman: Academic Book Centre, 2017.
• Naji, Abd al-Nour. Al-Dawr al-Tanmawī lil-Majālis al-Maḥalliyyah fī Iṭār al-Ḥawkama [The Developmental Role of Local Councils within the Framework of Governance]. Annaba, Algeria: University of Badji Mokhtar Publications, 2010.
• Boudiaf, Ammar. Sharḥ Qānūn al-Baladiyya [Explanation of the Municipal Law]. Algiers: Jusoor for Publishing and Distribution, 2012.
Theses and Dissertations:
• Harrahouz, Abdelhafid. Al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Tashārukiyyah ʿalā Mustawā al-Jamāʿāt al-Maḥalliyyah fī al-Jazāʾir: Dirāsah Ḥālat Wilāyat al-Masīlah [Participatory Democracy at the Level of Local Communities in Algeria: A Case Study of M’sila Province]. Doctoral thesis in Political Science, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Mouloud Mammeri University, Tizi Ouzou, Algeria, 2019–2020.
• Ziyad, Layla. Mushārakat al-Muwāṭinīn fī Ḥimāyat al-Bīʾah [Citizen Participation in Environmental Protection]. Master’s thesis in Law, Specialisation: International Human Rights Law, Faculty of Law, Mouloud Mammeri University, Tizi Ouzou, 2010.
• Hejjaz, Hassani. Dawr al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Tashārukiyyah fī Takrīs al-Tanmiya al-Maḥalliyyah fī al-Jazāʾir [The Role of Participatory Democracy in Consolidating Local Development in Algeria]. Master’s thesis in Public Policy and Local Administration, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Mohamed Khider University, Biskra, Algeria, 2020.
• Gharid, Ratiba. Al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Tashārukiyyah fī al-Jazāʾir bayna al-Nuṣūṣ al-Qānūniyyah wa al-Wāqiʿ al-Taṭbīqī [Participatory Democracy in Algeria Between Legal Texts and Practical Reality]. Master’s thesis in Local Administration, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Mohamed Boudiaf University, M’sila, Algeria, 2020.
Articles:
• Chérif, El-Amin. “Al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Tashārukiyyah: al-Usus wa al-Āfāq” [Participatory Democracy: Foundations and Prospects]. Al-Wasīt Journal. Algiers: National Office of Communication, Publishing, and Advertising, no. 6, 2008.
• Barakat, Karim. “Ḥaqq al-Ḥuṣūl ʿalā al-Maʿlūmah al-Bīʾiyyah Wasīlah Asāsiyyah limushārakat al-Fard fī Ḥimāyat al-Bīʾah” [The Right to Access Environmental Information as a Fundamental Tool for Individual Participation in Environmental Protection]. Academic Journal for Legal Research, no. 1, University of Abderrahmane Mira, Béjaïa, 2011.
• Hammoudi, Mohamed. “Al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Tashārukiyyah ka-Āliyah li-Taḥqīq al-Tanmiya al-Maḥalliyyah ʿalā Mustawā al-Jamāʿāt al-Maḥalliyyah fī al-Jazāʾir” [Participatory Democracy as a Mechanism for Achieving Local Development at the Level of Local Authorities in Algeria]. Journal of Law and Political Science, University of Khenchela, no. 12, June 2019.
• Ramadan, Abdelmajid. “Al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Raqmiyyah ka-Āliyah li-Tafʿīl al-Dīmuqrāṭiyyah al-Tashārukiyyah” [Digital Democracy as a Mechanism to Activate Participatory Democracy]. Dafāṭir al-Siyāsah wa al-Qānūn [Journal of Politics and Law Notebooks], University of Ouargla, no. 16, January 2017.
• Boudiaf, Kaddour. “Mushārakat al-Muwāṭinīn fī Tasyīr Shuʾūnihim al-Maḥalliyyah” [Citizen Participation in the Management of Local Affairs]. Al-Fikr al-Barlamānī [Parliamentary Thought Journal], 34, Algiers, 2018.