Ali Benflis, a candidate running in the 2014 Algerian elections, has a large social following that could help him etch out a win.
Social media plays an important role in politics these
days, for better or for worse. By example, many of the Arab Spring rallies,
some of which led to the downfall of entire governments, as was seen in Libya
and in Egypt, and most recently in Syria, were fueled by organization that was
only able to happen thanks to large social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Now, as Algeria prepares for an election that could unseat the fourth term of
ailing current president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, incumbent rival, Ali Benflis,
who used to work for the president before resigning from politics in 2004,
could use his strong social media following to upset a race that many are
already pegging as “rigged” before election day on April 17th, 2014.
Social Following
A quick look at the Facebook page for Ali Benflis is
telling of the support that the 70-year-old former prime minister currently
enjoys. Amongst several Fan Pages that have been created for him, his current one boasts more than
14,000 followers. According to a Digital Journal Report, Benflis has
also pledged to create an e-government and online system for the Algerian people
if he is elected. Yet another Facebook
Page displays more than 21,000 likes for Benflis, also telling of the
influence that social media can have upon the election and political process as
a whole. His Official
Facebook Page boasts 162,000 likes as of last count. By comparison, his YouTube
Channel now boasts more than hundreds of thousands of views and 900 plus subscribers
at last check. And multiple Twitter sites boast thousands more followers in support
of this man of the people.
If social media has taught us anything about how it can
impact presidential elections, this is a telling sign. Still, with this much
influence, Benflis is facing some pretty stiff odds, especially with concerns
of election fraud ringing in the wind. According to an article by Digital Journal, Benflis is in the best
position to defeat Bouteflika amongst five other contenders. His staunch
support of civil rights and his flawless record as former prime minister may
just help him garner enough votes to narrowly win this election and bring a
much needed new and transparent government and presidency to Algeria.
In a recent Facebook poll, according to a report by Letempsdz.com, Benflis
was top ranked in votes for his campaign.
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