CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE 172. A two-fold participative approach is adopted in the management of local affairs: on the one hand, associations and citizens contribute actively to identifying the needs of decentralised communities and formulating local development programmes; and on the other hand, civil society, in all its diversity and complexity, actively participates in the restructuring of local amenities and the rehabilitation of infrastructures in the context of partnerships and concessions with the state and territorial entities. 173. Debates in the various popular assemblies (APN, APW and APC) are open to the public and are attended by citizens and associations who exert increasing influence on the discussions. Their needs are therefore taken into consideration in programmes implemented by the authorities to control their expenditure. As a result, political authorities are becoming increasingly accountable because of the prospect of being sanctioned at the time of elections. The stakeholders, and more specifically elected members and members of civil society, nonetheless remain largely dissatisfied with their involvement in the management of local affairs: 45.6 per cent of the interviewees considered this involvement unsatisfactory, whereas 37.0 per cent considered it average, compared with 12.5 per cent who considered it high and 4.3 per cent very high. ii. Findings of the CRM 174. Two major challenges would seem to face Algeria regarding constitutional democracy and the rule of law: the challenge of building a pluralist, socialist democracy that guarantees political alternation, sovereign power of the people and local democracy, while preserving national unity; and the challenge of building the rule of law on the basis of a republican model that integrates diversity in all its forms and guarantees all citizens equal opportunities and effective participation in the management of public affairs. 175. Political competition. The return to democracy and electoral competition is in itself an immeasurable victory for the Algerian nation, given its recent history. The country is gradually emerging from profound and tragic trauma. The political party and electoral system would seem to have benefited from the understanding that caution and progressiveness are important in implementing democracy and a multi-party system. 176. Under the Constitution and the 1997 Organic Act on political parties, the establishment of political parties is subject to the restrictive control and approval of the state authorities: 28 political parties have been approved to date, whereas 39 others have been dissolved through the courts for failure to 71