Algeria’s President Declares Victorious Amidst Alarmingly Low Voter Participation

Algeria’s President Declares Victorious Amidst Alarmingly Low Voter Participation

– Of the 5,630,000 votes that were registered, 5,320,000 went to the independent candidate Abdelmadjid Tebboune, which amounts to 94.65 percent, says Mohamed Charfi, the head of the electoral authority ANIE, to the press in the capital Algiers on Sunday.

In advance, there was little doubt about the outcome of the election on Saturday, and the tension was to a greater extent about how large the turnout would be.

On Sunday, the results came in, which showed that turnout was very low. Only 6 million of the 24 million eligible voters took part in the presidential election. This amounts to a turnout of just 25 percent, a sharp decline from the 2019 election – which Tebboune won – where turnout was 40 percent.

Little competition

The military-backed 78-year-old’s main challenger was opposition leader Hassani Cherif, a moderate Islamist. He received a support of a poor 3 percent. Close behind came Youcef Aouchiche, a moderate secular opposition leader, who finished with 2 percent.

Hassani Cherif’s election campaign claims that the election authorities have inflated the results, but does not come up with concrete allegations of electoral fraud.

Many polling stations were largely empty throughout election day, apart from the many police officers on duty. There were no queues of voters in the summer heat outside the polling stations. The election authorities chose to extend the opening hours until 9pm in the evening due to concerns that many people had refrained from voting due to the heat.

Increased wages and social security

In the election campaign, Tebboune claimed to have achieved a lot during his almost five years in power, including increased wages and pensions, as well as unemployment benefits for those between 19 and 40 years of age. He has also secured interest-free start-up loans for young people, who make up over half of Algeria’s population.

Recently he promised to create 450,000 new jobs and increase unemployment benefits. It is currently 13,000 dinars a month (around NOK 1,000), but Tebboune has promised to increase it to 20,000 dinars.

– I am a man who keeps his word. I have kept my promises and I promise to continue on the same track, said Tebboune.

“The smile revolution” in 2019

But the mood before the election was in sharp contrast to the hopes that characterized the population in the spring of 2019.

The protest movement Hirak – also known as the “revolution of smiles” – filled the streets weekend after weekend with demands for fundamental political changes. They managed to push the country’s authoritarian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power after he had ruled the country for 20 years with the military behind him.

But the presidential election a few months later was a big disappointment.

Norwegian gas cooperation

Hirak was not allowed to put forward any candidate, thus there was a boycott and the lowest turnout in any presidential election in the country’s modern history. The winner of the election was Tebboune – Bouteflika’s former prime minister and a man many perceived as part of the elite they had protested against.

Algeria has 45 million inhabitants, and in terms of extent, the country is the largest in Africa. However, much of the territory lies in the Sahara, the world’s largest desert. Like Norway, Algeria is a major exporter of natural gas. Equinor has had business in the country since 2003. In a terrorist attack on a gas plant in Algeria in 2013, five Norwegians and 35 other employees were killed.

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2024-09-08 19:04:32

Here are some PAA-related questions for ⁢the ⁣title **”Algeria’s Presidential Election: Tebboune Wins with Overwhelming Majority”**:

Algeria’s Presidential Election:⁤ Tebboune Wins with Overwhelming Majority

In⁤ Algeria’s recent presidential election, ⁣incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has been ​re-elected with a landslide victory, ​securing nearly 95% of the votes cast. According ⁣to Mohamed⁢ Charfi, the​ head of the electoral authority ANIE, Tebboune won 5,320,000 out of 5,630,000 registered votes,​ translating ‌to 94.65% of the⁢ total votes ⁢ [[1]].

The election, which took place on ⁢Saturday, saw a low turnout‍ of only 6 million‍ out of 24⁤ million eligible‍ voters, a significant decline from the 40% turnout in the 2019 ⁢election [[2]]. Tebboune’s main ⁣challenger,⁢ opposition leader Hassani Cherif,⁣ a⁢ moderate Islamist, received a mere 3% of the votes, while Youcef Aouchiche, a moderate secular opposition ‌leader, secured 2% [[3]].

During his campaign,​ Tebboune highlighted his achievements over the past five ​years, including increased wages and pensions, as well‍ as unemployment benefits for those ‌between 19 and 40 years old. He also promised to create 450,000 ⁤new jobs and increase ‍unemployment benefits from⁢ 13,000 dinars to 20,000 dinars per month. Tebboune assured his⁤ supporters ‍that he ⁤would continue to​ keep his promises, stating,⁢ “I am a man who ⁢keeps his word. I have kept my promises and I ⁤promise to‌ continue‍ on⁢ the same track” ‍ [[1]].

Despite Tebboune’s landslide victory, the election was marked by a low turnout and allegations of electoral ​fraud by‌ Hassani Cherif’s campaign. ​The opposition‍ leader claimed ‍that the election authorities had inflated the results,⁤ although no​ concrete evidence of fraud ⁣was presented​ [[2]].

The ‍presidential election​ comes almost five years after ‍the “revolution of smiles,” ⁤also known‌ as Hirak, a ​protest movement that filled the ​streets of Algeria, demanding⁢ fundamental political changes. ‍The movement successfully pushed authoritarian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika‌ out of power, but the subsequent​ presidential election was marked by a low turnout and‌ a ‍boycott by Hirak supporters‍ [[3]].

Tebboune’s re-election is likely to have ⁢implications​ for ‌Algeria’s domestic and foreign policies, including its cooperation with Norway on gas production. As Tebboune begins his second term, it remains to be seen⁣ whether he will address the lingering concerns of the Algerian people and the opposition, ​or maintain the status quo.

Tebboune’s re-election with ⁣an overwhelming ‌majority⁢ is a significant development in Algerian politics.‌ While the election ⁣was marred by low turnout and⁤ allegations‌ of fraud,​ Tebboune’s campaign promises and his commitment to continuing his policies may appeal to some Algerians. However, the opposition’s claims of electoral fraud and⁤ the low turnout may raise ⁣concerns about the legitimacy of the election and Tebboune’s‍ second term.

Here is a PAA (People Also Ask) related question for the title “Algeria’s Presidential Election: Tebboune Wins with Overwhelming Majority”:

Algeria’s Presidential Election: Tebboune Wins with Overwhelming Majority

On June 12, 2021, Algeria held its presidential election, with incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune emerging victorious with an overwhelming majority of 94.65% of the votes [1[1]. The election saw a low turnout of just 25%, with only 6 million out of 24 million eligible voters participating <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021Algerianparliamentary_election”>[2[2].

Little Competition

Tebboune’s main challenger was opposition leader Hassani Cherif, a moderate Islamist who received only 3% of the votes. Youcef Aouchiche, a moderate secular opposition leader, came close behind with 2% of the votes. Hassani Cherif’s election campaign claimed that the election authorities had inflated the results, but failed to provide concrete allegations of electoral fraud.

Increased Wages and Social Security

During his election campaign, Tebboune highlighted his achievements during his almost five years in power, including increased wages and pensions, as well as unemployment benefits for those between 19 and 40 years of age. He also secured interest-free start-up loans for young people, who make up over half of Algeria’s population. Tebboune promised to create 450,000 new jobs and increase unemployment benefits from 13,000 dinars per month to 20,000 dinars.

The Smile Revolution in 2019

The mood before the election was in stark contrast to the hopes that characterized the population in the spring of 2019. The protest movement Hirak, also known as the “revolution of smiles,” filled the streets weekend after weekend with demands for fundamental political changes. They managed to push the country’s authoritarian leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power after he had ruled the country for 20 years with the military behind him. However, the movement’s momentum was not sustained, and the election saw a low turnout.

Low Turnout and Concerns

Many polling stations were largely empty throughout election day, with no queues of voters outside the polling stations. The election authorities extended the opening hours until 9 pm in the evening due to concerns that many people had refrained from voting due to the heat. The low turnout has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the election and the future of democracy in Algeria.

In another recent election, Algeria’s presidential election saw a low turnout, with less than half of the country’s eligible voters casting a ballot [3[3]. The outcome of the election has significant implications for Algeria’s political future and the country’s relationship with the international community.

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