There are reports in both Jeune Afrique and AllAfrica that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika no longer enjoys the support of a majority of deputies in the legislature.

The president was supported by a three-party coalition comprising the National Liberation Front (FLN), the National Rally for Democracy (RND) and the Movement of the Society for Peace (MSP). Jeune Afrique has a nice graphic illustrating the composition of the legislature.

The legislature is currently debating the reforms that President Bouteflika promised in April. (See previous post). However, the new electoral code has proved particularly problematic. In particular, the MSP seems to have adopted an opposition strategy, even though its representatives are in government.

This situation is interesting because Algeria is rarely called a democracy. However, at various times, notably in 2006 when there was a real threat of the government being voted down by the legislature, there is also real contestation and political pluralism.