Algerian Interior Minister Noureddine Badawi on Tuesday threatened to withdraw state allocations to political parties boycotting the country’s legislative elections due in May 2017.

Badawi hinted the move will be carried out through introducing new provisions to the political parties draft law, scheduled to be approved by the parliament during the upcoming legislative session.

The statement stirred up resentment among leaders of Algerian opposition parties and heads of political coalitions announced earlier to boycott the elections.

Green Algeria Alliance leading member al Hani Boushash denounced Badawi’s remarks and criticized granting state allocations to heads of political parties that have not participated in previous elections in reference to National Liberation Front Party head Ali Benflis.

Soufiane Djilali, head of Jil Jadid (New Generation party,) decried Badawi’s statement saying that “According to Badawi and Bouteflika's, the law now will criminalize objecting the fabricated legislations.”

Source: AFP