Algeria has held elections for the renewal of the Council of the Nation (Senate) December 29, 2009. Members of the Council of the Nation are elected for two-thirds, via indirect and secret suffrage among and by members of the Communal People's Assemblies and popular assemblies of the wilaya (prefecture). A third member of the Council of the Nation is designated by the President of the Republic among national personalities and competencies in scientific, cultural, professional, economic and social development areas. No female candidate has been elected among the 48 women and men nominated by political parties, including Democrats. Some women have been proposed in the primaries, but they were not supported because the parties have not played the card of women’s representation. Thus, the president remains the only chance to ensure their access to the upper house of Parliament, via nomination in the presidential third : "Unfortunately, the option of designation is the only way to cross the doors of the Council of the Nation," says a female deputy who does not hide her disappointment towards the marginalization of women by political parties. But while we expected that the third - appointed by the President, increase the number of women from 3 to 10 representatives, only 7 are part of this quota. Our observers in Algeria have also reported that major newspapers have not raised or made analysis of women's participation in politics, hence the interest to be given to the training of journalists.
