16th Congress of the Polisario Front explained

Country:Sahrawi Republic
Previous Election:15th Congress of the Polisario Front
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:17th Congress of the Polisario Front
Next Year:2026
Election Date:13–22 January 2023
Module:
Embed:yes
Election Name:Secretary-General election
Type:presidential
Registered:2,097 Congressmembers
Turnout:89.18%
Election Date:20 January 2023
Image1:Brahim Ghali 2.jpeg
Candidate1:Brahim Ghali
Colour1:DD2239
Percentage1:69.00%
Electoral Vote1:1,253
Candidate2:Bachir Mustafa Sayed
Colour2:FF7F27
Percentage2:31.00%
Electoral Vote2:563
Secretary-General
Before Party:Polisario Front
Posttitle:Secretary-General-elect
After Election:Brahim Ghali
After Party:Polisario Front

The 16th Congress of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Saguia El Hamra and Río de Oro (Arabic: المؤتمر السادس عشر للجبهة الشعبية لتحرير الساقية الحمراء ووادي الذهب, Spanish; Castilian: XVI Congreso del Frente Popular para la Liberación de Saguia El Hamra y Río de Oro) was held in the Dajla refugee camp in Tindouf, Algeria between 13 and 22 January 2023 to renovate the governing bodies of the Polisario Front and establish the movement's main lines of action and strategy for the next leadership term.

The Congress was also used to elect a new Secretary-General for the Polisario Front, which would automatically become the President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. For the first time ever, the candidate for Secretary-General was not agreed upon before the Congress. Bachir Mustafa Sayed, brother of the late first president El Uali Mustafa Sayed, ran for the office against the incumbent Brahim Ghali, making this the first truly competitive race for the office and breaking the tradition of establishing a consensus for the office.[1] [2]

The Congress' slogan is "Escalating the fighting to expel the occupation and complete sovereignty" (Arabic: تصعيد القتال لطرد الاحتلال لفرض السيادة, Spanish; Castilian: Escalar la lucha para expulsar al ocupante e imponer la soberanía). The Congress was also named after M'hamed Jaddad, the late Sahrawi coordinator with the MINURSO.[3]

The Congress is the first one to be held in a wartime situation since 1991, due to the breakout of the Second Western Sahara War in 2020. This situation led to the Congress having little international promotion since the Polisario Front sought instead to unite Sahrawis around a war strategy to intensify the war with this Congress.[2]

The Congress finished with the re-election of Brahim Ghali in the first round, barely avoiding a second round (as the president needs the support of two-thirds of the Congress in the first round to be elected). He obtained 69% of the votes, the lowest score ever obtained by the winning candidate since the introduction of direct vote for the office.[4]

Background

The Preparatory Commission announced on 27 October 2022 that the 16th Congress would take place between 13 and 17 January 2023 in the wilaya of Dajla, in the Sahrawi refugee camps of Tindouf. It also adopted symbols for the Congress.[3] Due to the war situation, which began when the ceasefire with Morocco broke down in November 2020 after Morocco sent troops to the southern part of Western Sahara to disperse Sahrawi protesters who were blocking the only highway to Mauritania, the Congress was not held in the Liberated Territories.[5] [6]

A "National Preparatory Conference" was held days before the Congress, between 8 and 11 January, to solve disputes and seek a unified position inside the Front, especially towards the candidacy of the General-Secretary.[7] [8]

The Congress was extended twice due to the lengthiness of the debates: it first got a 48-hour extension up to 19 January 2023 and later got a 72-hour one up to 22 January 2023.[9] [10]

During the Congress, members voted to amend the Basic Law of the Polisario Front to change the rules concerning the National Secretariat, forcing a renewal of at least six new members in every term, apart from reducing the members from 50 to 44 by removing two of the 29 Congress-elected members and excluding the mass organisations' (National Union of Sahrawi Women, Sahrawi Trade Union, Sahrawi Youth Union and Union of Sahrawi Students) from having a direct representation in the National Secretariat.[11]

International presence

Several foreign political parties participated or sent messages in support of the 16th Congress, major parties are listed below.

Parties that participated in the Congress

Parties that supported the Congress

Election system

The Congress elects the National Secretariat, which is the most important decision-making organism inside the Polisario Front when Congresses are not held, and the General-Secretary of the Front, which automatically becomes President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.

To be elected Secretary-General of the Polisario Front the following requirements have to be met:[24]

The candidates are proposed by the Election Commission, and voted on by the Congress. The vote is done by ballot directly and secretly, with a supermajority of at least two-thirds of the vote required to win the first round and an absolute majority for the second round.[24]

After the reforms passed by the 16th Congress to the Fundamental Law of the Polisario Front,[11] the National Secretariat will only have 44 members, of which 27 are directly chosen by the Congress, 16 are anonymously elected by the Occupied Territories to become anonymous members, and the General-Secretary serving as an ex officio member. To become a member of the National Secretariat the following requirements have to be met:[24]

The vote is direct and secret, with multiple non-transferable vote being used in the first round and ranked voting in the second one. The winning candidates are those who have obtained the absolute majority of the votes in the first round. In case of impossibility of obtaining the required number of candidates, the electoral commission continues to seek the vote of the congressmen on the basis of a list three times greater than the number of remaining candidates until obtaining the number of required candidates, elected by simple majority. There's a gender quota requiring at least six of the Congress-elected members to be women, while a new quota of six new members was introduced in this Congress before the election of the National Secretariat.[24]

Candidates

Confirmed

Rumoured

Opinion polling

The Sahrawi website ECSaharaui did several informal voting estimations among the Congressmembers, dividing voters into three segments:

Voter demographics in the 16th Congress of the Polisario Front[27]
Segment% Ghali% Sayed% Undecided% Lead
Army7520555
Popular bases8020N/A60
Youth and public administrationLean Mustafa Sayed
Final estimate66N/AN/AN/A
Final result6931N/A38

Results

Secretary-General

Polls opened on 20 January 2023 at 10 AM GMT+1 and closed at 1PM GMT+1. 24 offices were allocated for voting by the Election Committee. There were two candidates, Brahim Ghali and Bachir Mustafa Sayed, for the post of Secretary-General of the Polisario Front.[28]

Ghali was re-elected as Secretary-General of the Polisario Front and President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic for a three-year term. 1,870 Congressmembers out of 2,097 registered cast a vote; 1,816 votes were valid while 54 votes were considered invalid. Ghali received 1,253 votes (69%) while Mustafa Sayed obtained 563 votes (31%). The Electoral Commission did not record any violations or obstacles during the election.

National Secretariat

Polls opened on 21 January 2023 at 12 AM GMT+1 and closed at 3PM GMT+1 for the first round of the election of the National Secretariat, with 24 offices were allocated for voting. 181 candidates ran for office.[29] Results of the first round were announced by 9AM GMT+1 of the next day,[30] with only two candidates obtaining the required absolute majority and a second round being held that same day, this time with 75 candidates.[31] The new members of the National Secretariat were announced by midnight GMT+1,[32] with results being partially released on Sahrawi media. The quotas were respected, with six women and eight new members elected to the National Secretariat.[33]

Reactions

International

Aftermath

On 19 January 2023, the Congress approved the National Action Program, which included "intensifying the armed struggle" and "strengthening the diplomatic way" as one of its points.[1] It also approved amendments to the Constitution proposed by the government's legal adviser.[41]

Bachir Mustafa Sayed accepted the results shortly after they were announced, with him criticising the family of Brahim Ghali due to a "defamation and bullying" campaign and announcing he would not run for the office again. He also considered the Congress a "little step we [the Sahrawi people] took together to expand our democracy".[42]

President-elect Brahim Ghali and the newly elected members of the National Secretariat took their oath on the night of 22 January 2023 in front of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Brahim Bella, officially concluding the 16th Congress,[43] with the National Secretariat holding its first session two days later.[44]

On 9 February 2023, Brahim Ghali dissolved the government and reappointed Bouchraya Hammoudi Bayoun as Prime Minister of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic for a second consecutive term, assigning him to form his government as soon as possible.[45] A new government was presented on 14 February 2023, together with the appointment of new governors for the five wilayas (regions) and the administrative camp of the Sahrawi refugee camps.[46]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-01-19 . El Frente Polisario aprueba intensificar la "lucha armada" contra Marruecos en su congreso trienal . The Polisario Front approves intensifying the "armed struggle" against Morocco at its triennial congress . 2023-01-20 . . es.
  2. Web site: Prieto . Nestor . 2023-01-11 . El Frente Polisario celebra su XVI Congreso con la promesa de hacer «escalar la guerra» para conseguir la «independencia total» . The Polisario Front celebrates its 16th Congress with the promise of "escalating the war" to achieve "total independence" . 2023-01-20 . Descifrando la Guerra . es.
  3. Web site: 2022-10-27 . The Preparatory Committee announces date and place of holding the 16th Conference of the Polisario Front . 2023-01-20 . . en . 20 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230120030532/https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2022/10/27/42551.html . dead .
  4. AfricaElect . . 2023-01-20 . 2023-01-23 . 1616537018166566912 . Sahrawi Republic: Brahim Ghali (POLISARIO, left-wing to centre-left) has narrowly avoided a second round by getting 69% of the votes, the lowest result ever recorded for a winning presidential candidate. . en.
  5. Web site: 2023-01-12 . Exceptional circumstances in 16th Polisario Front Congress . 2023-01-20 . . en.
  6. Web site: After re-election, Polisario's Ghali vows more Sahrawi resistance . 2023-01-26 . . 23 January 2023 . en.
  7. Web site: 2023-01-11 . The National Preparatory Conference for the 16th Congress of Polisario Front concludes after four days of Fruitful discussions . 2023-01-26 . . en . 26 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230126072242/https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2023/01/11/43544.html . dead .
  8. Web site: 2023-01-09 . La Conferencia Nacional y el XVI Congreso General del Frente POLISARIO . The National Conference and the XVI General Congress of the POLISARIO Front . 2023-01-26 . ECSaharaui . es.
  9. Web site: 2023-01-18 . 16th Congress of Polisario Front: Approval of narrative and financial reports and extension of work for 48 hours . 2023-01-20 . . en . 20 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230120030550/https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2023/01/18/43693.html . dead .
  10. Web site: 2023-01-20 . The 16th Congress of the Polisario Front: Extension of work for another 72 hours . 2023-01-20 . . en . 20 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230120085916/https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2023/01/20/43738.html . dead .
  11. Web site: 2023-01-19 . The Sixteenth Congress of the Polisario Front endorses the Basic Law . 2023-01-20 . . en . 20 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230120030624/https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2023/01/19/43711.html . dead .
  12. Web site: 2023-01-15 . Algerian political parties reiterate support to Sahrawi people's just struggle . 2023-01-26 . . en.
  13. Web site: 2023-01-17 . The 16th Congress of the Polisario Front receives letters of solidarity from parties and personalities from different countries of the world . 2023-01-26 . . en.
  14. Web site: 2023-01-13 . Frente Polisario inicia Congreso en zona de refugiados . Polisario Front begins Congress in refugee zone . Cuba asiste al congreso del Frente Polisario con una delegación encabezada por Yudí Rodríguez Hernández, miembro del Secretariado del Comité Central del Partido Comunista. . Cuba attends the Polisario Front congress with a delegation headed by Yudí Rodríguez Hernández, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. . 2023-01-26 . . es.
  15. Web site: Khattatt . Mohamed . 2023-01-19 . 16ème Congrès du Front Polisario : La guerre du Sahara n'est pas finie . 16th Congress of the Polisario Front: The Sahara War is not over . 2023-01-26 . Maurinews . fr.
  16. Web site: 2023-01-15 . President of Republic receives delegation of African parties . 2023-01-26 . . en.
  17. Web site: 2023-01-15 . African politicians express solidarity with Sahrawi people's struggle for independence . 2023-01-26 . . en.
  18. Web site: 2023-01-15 . Brahim Ghali recibe a enviado de Nicaragua para decimosexto Congreso del Frente Polisario . Brahim Ghali receives the Nicaraguan envoy for the 16th Congress of the Polisario Front . 2023-01-29 . . es.
  19. Web site: 2023-01-15 . Portuguese parties transmit solidarity with the Saharawi people . 2023-01-26 . Por Un Sáhara Libre . en.
  20. Web site: 2023-01-15 . Russian Communist Party reaffirms steady position in support of Sahrawi people . 2023-01-26 . . en.
  21. Web site: 2023-01-16 . President of Republic receives South African delegation representing ANC . 2023-01-26 . . en.
  22. Web site: 2023-01-14 . El Frente Polisario inaugura su XVI Congreso con la consigna de intensificar la lucha armada . The Polisario Front inaugurates its 16th Congress with the slogan of intensifying the armed struggle . 2023-01-26 . . es.
  23. Web site: 2023-01-14 . Venezuela renueva su espaldarazo al pueblo saharaui . Venezuela renews its support for the Sahrawi people . 2023-01-27 . . es.
  24. Web site: 2023-01-08 . Todo el detalle sobre cómo funciona el Congreso del Frente Polisario . All the details on how the Congress of the Polisario Front works . 2023-01-20 . SaharawisToday . es.
  25. Web site: 2023-01-20 . The Election Committee presents two candidates for the post of Secretary-General of the Polisario Front . 2023-01-20 . . en . 20 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230120075512/https://www.spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2023/01/20/43737.html . dead .
  26. Web site: 2023-01-17 . Bachir Mustafá Sayed aspira a liderar el Frente POLISARIO . Bachir Mustafa Sayed aspires to lead the POLISARIO Front . 2023-01-20 . ECSaharaui . es . Frente a Gali y Bachir también podría postularse otro miembro: el exprimer ministro y actual embajador en Argelia, Abdelkader Taleb Omar. . Against Ghali and Bachir, another member could also run: the former prime minister and current ambassador to Algeria, Abdelkader Taleb Omar..
  27. Web site: 2023-01-20 . Así están las encuestas para las elecciones para el puesto de la Secretaría General del Frente POLISARIO . This is how the polls are for the elections for the position of the General Secretariat of the POLISARIO Front . 2023-01-21 . ECSaharaui . es.
  28. Web site: 2023-01-20 . The electoral process for the post of Secretary-General of the Polisario Front starts . 2023-01-20 . . en.
  29. Web site: 2023-01-21 . المؤتمر السادس عشر للجبهة: لجنة الانتخابات تعلن القائمة الرسمية لعضوية الأمانة الوطنية وبدء العملية الانتخابية . The 16th Congress of the Front: The Elections Commission announces the official list of members of the National Secretariat and the start of the electoral process . 2023-01-24 . . ar.
  30. Web site: 2023-01-21 . المؤتمر السادس عشر للجبهة : لجنة الانتخابات تواصل فرز الأصوات في ظروف حسنة على مستوى المكاتب الـ 24 . The 16th Congress of the Front: The Elections Commission continues counting votes in good conditions at the level of the 24 offices . 2023-01-24 . . ar.
  31. Web site: 2023-01-22 . المؤتمر السادس عشر للجبهة : إعلان نتائج المرحلة الأولى من الانتخابات الخاصة بأعضاء الأمانة الوطنية . The 16th Congress of the Front: Announcement of the results of the first phase of the elections for members of the National Secretariat . 2023-01-24 . . ar.
  32. Web site: 2023-01-23 . نتائج الدور الثاني من أعضاء الأمانة الوطنية . The results of the second round of members of the National Secretariatt . 2023-01-24 . . ar.
  33. saharawistoday . SaharawisToday . 2023-01-23 . 2023-01-24 . 1617333572796579841 . 8 miembros son nuevos superando la cuota mínima de 6 miembros que se establecía este año. También se cumple la cuota mínima de 6 mujeres.
    El miembro más joven es Lehbib Mohamed Abdelaziz, con 33 años de edad. . 8 members are new, exceeding the minimum quota of 6 members that was established this year. The minimum quota of 6 women is also met.
    The youngest member is Lehbib Mohamed Abdelaziz, at 33 years of age. . es.
  34. Web site: 2023-01-22 . President Brahim Ghali receives message of congratulations from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune . 2023-01-23 . . en.
  35. Web site: 2023-01-22 . President Tebboune congratulates Brahim Ghali on his reappointment as Polisario SG, SADR President . 2023-01-23 . . en.
  36. Web site: 2023-01-22 . Brahim Gali recibe felicitaciones del Partido Unión de las Fuerzas del Progreso de Mauritania . Brahim Ghali receives congratulations from the Union of the Forces of Progress Party of Mauritania . 2023-01-23 . . es.
  37. Web site: 2023-02-09 . President Ghali receives a congratulatory message from his Namibian counterpart on the occasion of his re-election as SG of Polisario Front . 2023-02-12 . . en.
  38. Web site: 2023-01-23 . حزب شيوعيو روسيا يهنئ الرئيس إبراهيم غالي بمناسبة إعادة إنتخابه أمينا عاما لجبهة البوليساريو ورئيسا للجمهورية الصحراوية . The Communists of Russia party congratulates President Brahim Ghali on his re-election as Secretary General of the Polisario Front and President of the Sahrawi Republic . 2023-01-23 . . ar.
  39. Web site: 2023-02-18 . El PCE muestra su respaldo al nuevo Gobierno del Sáhara Occidental . The PCE shows its support for the new Government of Western Sahara . 2023-02-23 . . es.
  40. anamirandapaz . . 2023-01-20 . 2023-01-23 . 1616514023473975296 . Saudamos dende @obloque a elección de Brahim Ghali, reelexido hoxe no proceso democrático como Secretario Xeral do @Polisario_ que seguirá loitando coas mulleres e homes saharauis pola liberdade, soberanía, autodeterminación do #SaharaOccidental . We welcome from @obloque the election of Brahim Ghali, re-elected today in the democratic process as Secretary General of the @Polisario_ who will continue to fight with Sahrawi women and men for the freedom, sovereignty, self-determination of the #WesternSahara . gl.
  41. Web site: 2023-01-19 . El XVI Congreso del Frente POLISARIO aprueba la nueva Constitución y el Programa de Acción Nacional . The XVI Congress of the Frente POLISARIO approves the new Constitution and the National Action Program . 2023-01-20 . . es . 20 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230120055412/https://www.spsrasd.info/news/es/articles/2023/01/19/43718.html . dead .
  42. Web site: 2023-01-20 . كلمة الأخ البشير مصطفى السيد بعد الإعلان عن نتائج انتخابات الامين العام للجبهة . Speech of Brother Bachir Mustafa Sayed after the announcement of the results of the elections of the Secretary-General of the Front . 2023-01-20 . المستقلة للأنباء . ar.
  43. Web site: 2023-01-22 . المؤتمر السادس عشر للجبهة: القيادة المنتخبة تؤدي اليمين القانونية . The 16th Congress of the Front: The elected leadership is sworn in . 2023-01-23 . . ar.
  44. Web site: 2023-01-24 . National Secretariat of the Polisario Front holds the first session after the 16th Congress . 2023-01-26 . . en . 26 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230126021750/https://spsrasd.info/news/en/articles/2023/01/24/43832.html . dead .
  45. Web site: 2023-02-09 . President Brahim Ghali renews his trust in Bushraya Bayun as Prime Minister . 2023-02-12 . . en.
  46. Web site: 2023-02-14 . الرئيس ابراهيم غالي يصدر مرسوما رئاسيا يتضمن تشكيلة الحكومة الجديدة . President Brahim Ghali issues a presidential decree that includes the composition of the new government . 2023-02-14 . . ar.

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