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Algerian parliamentarians intend to introduce a draft law that would eliminate the French version of the Official Gazette, limiting the publication of legislative and regulatory texts to the Arabic language.
The draft provides several reasons for proposing this legislative initiative, the most important being the country's constitution, which states that Arabic is the national and official language of the state.
The proponents of the proposal believe that publishing legislative and regulatory texts exclusively in Arabic in the Official Gazette is a "legal protection for the national constants," aiming to purify the country's system from the legal pollution resulting from the legacy of French colonial policies.
The draft law, titled "Draft Organic Law on the Publication of Laws and Regulations in the Official Gazette," comes amid an unprecedented crisis between Algeria and France, and coincides with Algeria's intention to strengthen the status of the English language in educational curricula.
The draft has the support of 39 members of parliament out of 462 seats in the National People's Assembly. The proposal's lead representative is Zakaria Belkhir, a member of the Movement of Society for Peace (HMS), the country's largest Islamic political party.
The initiators of the legal text explained that the publication of the Official Gazette in French was supposed to be temporary, based on a presidential decree issued on May 28, 1964, which stated, "The Official Gazette shall be issued in Arabic and also temporarily include a French version."
They argued, "It is unreasonable for the temporary to become permanent after more than 60 years of independence," adding that "it is illogical to discuss, deliberate, vote on, and approve legislative and regulatory texts in Arabic, only to end up publishing them in both Arabic and French."
The lawmakers considered that the legal proposal, which includes 23 articles, to eliminate the French version of the Official Gazette "comes in the context of activating the provisions of legal sovereignty."
The initiators proposed that the issuance of the Official Gazette in French be subject to legal accountability, with the possibility of publishing it digitally in other foreign languages for informational purposes.
Article 2 of the draft law stipulates "that the Official Gazette shall be issued exclusively in Arabic," and suggests that international agreements and treaties ratified by Algeria be published in Arabic, with an annex in the language of the country where the agreement was signed, or in English.
The lawmakers behind the proposal did not specify a time frame for submitting the draft law to the official legislative process for discussion and voting in parliament.
It has become clear that Algerian state institutions are notably abandoning the French language in official documents, correspondence, and statements, relying exclusively on Arabic, alongside English.
Since the end of 2019, Algeria has implemented a practical program to promote English language education across various educational levels, especially in universities.
Algeria's shift towards English has disturbed France, which views it as a dangerous sign of the decline of its tools of dominance and influence in the country.
Article 2 of the draft law stipulates "that the Official Gazette shall be issued exclusively in Arabic," and suggests that international agreements and treaties ratified by Algeria be published in Arabic, with an annex in the language of the country where the agreement was signed, or in English.
The lawmakers behind the proposal did not specify a time frame for submitting the draft law to the official legislative process for discussion and voting in parliament.
It has become clear that Algerian state institutions are notably abandoning the French language in official documents, correspondence, and statements, relying exclusively on Arabic, alongside English.
Since the end of 2019, Algeria has implemented a practical program to promote English language education across various educational levels, especially in universities.
Algeria's shift towards English has disturbed France, which views it as a dangerous sign of the decline of its tools of dominance and influence in the country.
