Rally for Culture and Democracy
Encyclopedia
The Rally for Culture and Democracy (Amazigh
: Agraw i Yidles d Tugdut; ; RCD) is a political party
in Algeria
. It promotes secularism (Laïcité
) and has its principal power base in Kabylia, a major Berber
-speaking region. Some consider it to take the position of a liberal party for the Berber
-speaking population in Algerian politics.
The party leader is Saïd Sadi
, who was a presidential candidate in 1995, winning 9.3 percent of the popular vote. In 1997, the party won 19 of 390 seats. The RCD boycotted the 2002 elections. Saïd Sadi was a candidate again in the 2004 presidential election
and won 1.9 percent of the vote. The party participated in the 2007 elections, winning 3.36% of the vote and 19 seats.
, support for the RCD was higher than its national average (3.36%) in the following provinces:
Berber languages
The Berber languages are a family of languages indigenous to North Africa, spoken from Siwa Oasis in Egypt to Morocco , and south to the countries of the Sahara Desert...
: Agraw i Yidles d Tugdut; ; RCD) is a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. It promotes secularism (Laïcité
Laïcité
French secularism, in French, laïcité is a concept denoting the absence of religious involvement in government affairs as well as absence of government involvement in religious affairs. French secularism has a long history but the current regime is based on the 1905 French law on the Separation of...
) and has its principal power base in Kabylia, a major Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
-speaking region. Some consider it to take the position of a liberal party for the Berber
Berber languages
The Berber languages are a family of languages indigenous to North Africa, spoken from Siwa Oasis in Egypt to Morocco , and south to the countries of the Sahara Desert...
-speaking population in Algerian politics.
Saïd Sadi
Saïd Sadi is an Algerian politician and President of the Rally for Culture and Democracy ....
, who was a presidential candidate in 1995, winning 9.3 percent of the popular vote. In 1997, the party won 19 of 390 seats. The RCD boycotted the 2002 elections. Saïd Sadi was a candidate again in the 2004 presidential election
Algerian presidential election, 2004
Presidential elections were held in Algeria on April 8, 2004. The incumbent president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, was re-elected with 85.0 percent of the vote.-Candidates:*Ali Benflis: candidate of the Front for National Liberation...
and won 1.9 percent of the vote. The party participated in the 2007 elections, winning 3.36% of the vote and 19 seats.
Regional strength
In the 2007 legislative electionAlgerian legislative election, 2007
Legislative elections were held in Algeria on 17 May 2007. 24 political parties and around 100 independent lists with a total of more than 12,000 candidates competed for the 389 seats in the National People's Assembly. While most Algerians voted on May 17th, immigrants from Algeria to other...
, support for the RCD was higher than its national average (3.36%) in the following provinces:
- Tizi Ouzou ProvinceTizi Ouzou ProvinceTizi Ouzou is a province in Algeria, named after its capital.-Administrative divisions:The province is divided into 21 districts , which are further divided into 67 communes or municipalities.-Districts:# Aïn El Hammam...
34.28% - Béjaïa ProvinceBéjaïa ProvinceBéjaïa is a province of Algeria. The capital city is Béjaïa. Gouraya National Park is there. A population of the endangered primate, Barbary Macaque is found within this the province's Gouraya National Park; this canid has a severely restricted and disjunctive range.-Administrative divisions:The...
17.51% - Bouïra ProvinceBouïra Province-Administrative divisions:It is made up of 12 districts and 45 communes or municipalities.-Districts:# Aïn Bessem# Bechloul# Bir Ghbalou# Bordj Okhriss# Bouïra# El Hachimia# Haïzer# Kadiria# Lakhdaria# M'Chedellah# Souk El Khemis...
9.09% - Algiers Province 8.58%
- Illizi ProvinceIllizi ProvinceIllizi is a province in the south-eastern corner of Algeria named after its eponymous seat.It borders Libya to the east, Ouargla Province to the north and, Tamanghasset Province to the east and south.-Administrative divisions:...
7.31% - Tipaza ProvinceTipaza ProvinceTipaza or Tipasa is a province on the coast of Algeria, Its capital is Tipasa, 50 km west of the capital of Algeria.-Administrative divisions:...
6.89% - Guelma ProvinceGuelma ProvinceGuelma Province is a province in eastern Algeria. Its namesake is its seat and most populous municipality: Guelma.-History:Its civilians suffered heavy casualties during the 1945 Sétif massacre by the French Army. The province itself was established on 1974. Before that, it was part of Annaba...
4.83% - Boumerdès ProvinceBoumerdès ProvinceBoumerdès is a province of northern Algeria, between Algiers and Tizi-Ouzou, with its capital at the coastal city of Boumerdès just east of Algiers.-Administrative divisions:...
4.55% - Saïda ProvinceSaïda ProvinceSaïda is a province of Algeria, named after its capital.-Administrative divisions:The province is divided into 6 districts , which are further divided into 16 communes or municipalities.-Districts:# Aïn El Hadjar...
4.30% - Sétif ProvinceSétif ProvinceSétif Province is a province in north-eastern Algeria. Its capital and largest city is Sétif, the next largest city is El Eulma. There is also the World Heritage Site of Djémila there.-Administrative divisions:...
4.25% - Aïn Defla ProvinceAïn Defla ProvinceAïn Defla is a wilaya in northern Algeria. It is located to the southwest of Algiers, the capital. Localities in Ain Delfa include Miliana, Hammam Righa, and Aïn Torki.-Administrative divisions:...
3.43%
See also
- Berber peopleBerber peopleBerbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
- Politics of AlgeriaPolitics of AlgeriaPolitics of Algeria takes place in a framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Algeria is head of state while the Prime Minister of Algeria is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government...
- Movement for the Autonomy of KabylieMovement for the autonomy of KabylieThe Movement for the Autonomy of Kabylie is a Kabyle political organization which demands self-government status for the region of Kabylie in Algeria...
(MAK) - A KabyleKabyle peopleThe Kabyle people are the largest homogeneous Algerian ethno-cultural and linguistical community and the largest nation in North Africa to be considered exclusively Berber. Their traditional homeland is Kabylie in the north of Algeria, one hundred miles east of Algiers...
pro-autonomyAutonomyAutonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
movement. - Socialist Forces FrontSocialist Forces FrontThe Socialist Forces Front , , is a social democratic and secularist, political party in Algeria. It was formed in 1963 by Hocine Ait Ahmed...
(FFS) - The main Socialist Berber party. - Arouch Movement - A Berber political organization modelled on traditional village councils.
- List of liberal parties