Algeria is laying legal groundwork for a full-scale wartime mobilisation, with a sweeping bill that would put civilians, the economy, and institutions under direct military command.
On Monday, the Algerian government introduced a controversial draft law to parliament that could pave the way for nationwide mobilisation in the event of war or a national crisis.
The 69-article bill, currently under review, outlines how Algeria would transition from peacetime to wartime, granting the armed forces sweeping powers to requisition property, control industrial production, and oversee key sectors such as energy, transport, and exports.
The bill draws upon Article 99 of the Algerian Constitution, which allows the president to initiate "mobilisation" (meaning, military conscription) after consulting with the High Security Council and parliamentary leaders.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune framed the bill as a necessary legal framework to address national crises, not limited to war but also involving public health emergencies or other significant threats.
Once activated, the law grants the military charge of economic and industrial production, and control over borders and internal movement, in cooperation with the Interior Ministry.
Citizens would be legally obligated to comply with mobilisation orders, with penalties for non-compliance including prison sentences of up to three years for failing to report foreign nationals from "hostile states."
The bill also mandates harsh punishments for leaking or publishing unauthorised information about mobilisation plans, with sentences ranging from two to ten years, in addition to fines. Even making vague or incorrect statements about mobilisation without prior approval could result in a year behind bars.
The law sparked widespread debate in a country where free speech is already heavily restricted, particularly since the right to protest cannot be granted without state authorisation.
"Central to Algeria's repressive strategy (...) is cultivating a climate of fear and suspicion to justify further repressive measures," noted the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) in a report published last November.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune repeatedly promoted this rhetoric of fear, often claiming "foreign interference" behind domestic protests and dissent. In one incident, following the fires in the Kabylie region in 2021, he blamed Morocco for inciting unrest.
State-controlled media echoed these accusations, reinforcing the narrative that activists, both domestic and abroad, are pawns of foreign powers—a narrative that permeates judicial actions against them.
This pattern began since the Hirak movement ousted the Bouteflika regime in 2019, with Algerian politicians frequently citing "foreign threats" as justification for the state's tightening grip on security.
Algeria has previously amended laws that primarily targeted people and organisations critical of the government.
For instance, the amendment of Article 87bis of the Penal Code in 2021 broadened the definition of "terrorism," enabling authorities to prosecute activists, journalists, and human rights defenders under terrorism-related charges.
War against what...or whom?
Though framed as a precautionary legal measure, the mobilisation bill has emerged amid growing regional tensions.
In a recent speech, Saïd Chengriha, Algeria's army chief of staff, suggested that Algeria is under "constant threat" from foreign adversaries.
"The enemies of the Algerian people have not yet digested its independence," he said. This is notable amid the government's worst crisis with its former coloniser, France, which is being accused of trying to "destabilise" the country through terrorism cells.
At the same time, Algeria's relations with Morocco are at its lowest point since 2021, with both countries raising their military budgets each year.
The situation is further complicated by Algeria's increasing stand-off with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, particularly after Algerian forces downed a drone operated by Mali's military.
These developments have sparked speculation that the mobilisation bill could be linked to Algeria's readiness to confront emerging regional threats.
Some experts have downplayed the significance of the bill, arguing it's merely a legislative reform.
"This is not a declaration of mobilisation. It's a legal update meant to prepare the state without resorting to ad hoc presidential decrees", wrote Redouane Bouhedil, a professor of political science at Algiers University.
But, he acknowledged that the law might also signal that Algeria is positioning itself for an increasingly uncertain regional future.
Since independence in 1962, Algeria has not declared a state of general mobilisation. There were two cases of "special or partial" mobilisation, the first being the 1963 Sand War against Morocco, and amid "the Black Decade", which was the Algerian civil war from 1992-2002.
The Algerian parliament is expected to vote on the law soon.