Algeria's Prime Minister Seifi Grib signed three executive decrees this week, establishing new regulations for electoral campaign financing. The measures aim to structure how political campaigns are funded ahead of upcoming elections. One of the newly enacted decrees specifically outlines the mechanisms through which the state will cover campaign expenses for young independent candidates, providing financial support to foster their participation in the electoral process. These regulatory changes are designed to ensure transparency and fairness in campaign funding.
Decrees on Campaign Funds and Surplus
Executive Decree No. 26-172, issued on May 10, 2026, concerns the conditions for transferring surplus resources from an election campaign account to the public treasury. This decree specifically outlines the mechanisms governing the return of unspent campaign funds. A key provision states that the campaign finance control committee is responsible for verifying the existence and amount of any surplus funds. Following this verification, the committee must communicate the precise amount of the surplus via an official decision. Subsequently, the financial manager overseeing the campaign is mandated to transfer these surplus funds to the public treasury. The transfer must be completed within a maximum period of thirty days from the date the decision is officially communicated, provided the decision is not subject to an appeal process.
Support for Young Independent Candidates
Executive Decree No. 26-173, issued on May 10, 2026, outlines the state's coverage of campaign expenses for young candidates. The government has allocated 300,000 Algerian dinars to cover campaign expenses for young independent candidates participating in the upcoming legislative elections. This financial support is specifically for candidates who are under 40 years old on election day. The state will cover these expenses up to a sum of 300,000 Algerian dinars. To benefit from this provision, the campaign's financial manager is required to submit a file to the coordinator of the National Independent Authority for Elections.
Operational Electoral Expenses Detailed
Executive Decree No. 26-174, dated May 2026, addresses expenses related to electoral and referendum operations, outlining their budgets and specifying how they are prepared and executed. The decree details expenses for electoral and referendum operations, including budget preparation, credit distribution, and execution. These operational expenses encompass revising electoral lists, preparing voter cards, acquiring electoral documents, and securing necessary equipment and materials.
Additional expenses covered include ballot boxes, polling booths, catering services, accommodation, transport, and public awareness campaigns. Electoral operation expenses also account for compensation for coordinators and delegates of the National Independent Authority for Elections, as well as state employees and local government staff mobilized for the process. The amounts for these compensations will be determined by a joint decision involving the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Finance, and the President of the National Independent Authority for Elections. The deadline for committing expenses for electoral operations is forty-five days after the election date. The deadline for submitting payment orders or transfers to the treasury is fifty-five days after the election date, with a possibility for legal extension.
Context and Implementation
The new decrees regulate expenses associated with electoral and referendum operations, detailing their budgets and specifying preparation and execution methods. The Ministry of Interior is responsible for preparing the budget for these electoral and referendum operations. This budgetary preparation must be conducted in coordination with the National Independent Authority for Elections. The process includes outlining credit distribution and the subsequent execution of these funds. Operational expenses covered by the decrees encompass a range of activities, including revising electoral lists, preparing voter cards, acquiring necessary electoral documents, and securing essential equipment and materials.