Algerian Election: Tebboune Expected to Win Amidst Low Turnout

Algerian Election: Tebboune Expected to Win Amidst Low Turnout \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ In Algeria’s recent presidential election, voters decided whether President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, supported by the military, would serve another term after the ousting of the previous president by pro-democracy protests. Despite a significant voter turnout increase to 48% domestically, skepticism remains high with critics viewing the election as merely reinforcing the status quo. Challengers Abdelali Hassani Cherif and Youcef Aouchiche campaigned more for future legislative influence than immediate executive power, reflecting the complex political dynamics in Algeria.

Algerian Election: Quick Look

Here are the key points summarizing the situation surrounding Algeria’s presidential election:

• Presidential Election: Algerians voted to determine if President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, backed by the military, would secure another term after pro-democracy protests ousted the previous president.
• Voter Turnout: Preliminary results showed a 48% voter turnout domestically, indicating higher engagement compared to the 2019 elections but still marked by widespread skepticism about the election’s legitimacy.
• Tebboune’s Anticipated Victory: Despite the expected easy win for Tebboune, the focus remained on the level of voter participation and the general apathy among the electorate.
• Public Sentiment: Many citizens expressed disillusionment, viewing the election as a mechanism to uphold the existing power structure rather than a genuine step toward democratic reform.
• Challengers’ Campaigns: The two approved challengers, Abdelali Hassani Cherif and Youcef Aouchiche, seemed more focused on building groundwork for future legislative elections than on winning the presidency.
• Economic and Social Context: The campaign period was shadowed by economic difficulties, including a high cost of living and severe drought, which dampened public enthusiasm for the electoral process.
• Criticism from Activists: Activists and some political figures criticized the election as a facade, with no real potential to bring about change, continuing the cycle of controlled political transitions.

Algeria Election: Deep Look

On Saturday, Algerians cast their votes in a pivotal election to determine whether President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, backed by the military, would secure another term. This election comes five years after mass pro-democracy protests led to the military’s removal of the long-standing previous president, sparking a hopeful yet turbulent transition toward democratic governance.

Expectations leaned heavily towards an easy victory for Tebboune, with more attention being given to voter participation rates. After the polls closed, the preliminary results indicated a voter turnout of 48% within Algeria and 19.6% among overseas voters—significantly higher than the 39.9% turnout in the 2019 presidential elections. This was seen as a crucial test of the government’s legitimacy, following years marred by boycotts and widespread disinterest in previous elections.

Algerian Election – Algerian Election – Algerian Election

President Tebboune, after casting his vote, expressed a hope that the election would mark a definitive step towards solidifying democracy in Algeria. He emphasized the importance of continuing on a democratic path, irrespective of the election’s winner.

However, the election period was shadowed by a palpable sense of apathy among the electorate, driven by economic strains such as a high cost of living and severe drought conditions that led to significant water shortages across the country. This disinterest was reflected in the relatively low energy of the campaign season, which had been rescheduled to occur during North Africa’s sweltering summer months.

Despite the official narrative of a stride towards democracy, many citizens and activists remained deeply skeptical. Critics argued that the elections would merely perpetuate the existing power structures. Prominent voices from within the Hirak protest movement, which had been instrumental in the 2019 governmental change, dismissed the election as a sham designed to legitimize a pre-determined outcome. This sentiment was echoed by figures like former Hirak leader Hakim Addad, who emphasized the enduring political crisis as long as the current regime remained in power.

The electoral field was narrow, with only two candidates, Abdelali Hassani Cherif of the Islamist party Movement of Society for Peace and Youcef Aouchiche from the Socialist Forces Front, being cleared to challenge Tebboune. Both candidates promoted participation in the election but avoided direct confrontation with Tebboune on the campaign trail. Their campaigns were seen not so much as bids for the presidency but as groundwork for the 2025 legislative elections. In Algerian politics, where party funding is tied to parliamentary representation, such strategies are common.

Experts like Andrew Farrand, Middle East and North Africa director at Horizon Engage, noted that the challengers’ campaign tactics were likely aimed at mobilizing their respective bases and securing favorable positions with the authorities for future electoral contests. This strategic positioning indicates a longer-term political game focused on gaining legislative influence rather than immediate executive power.

Thus, while the election was officially framed as a step towards democratization, the reality on the ground reflected a complex interplay of resignation, strategic calculations, and deeply entrenched political dynamics, pointing to a protracted journey towards genuine democratic reform in Algeria.

Algerian Election – Algerian Election

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