A candidate in Algeria’s presidential election has raised concerns about irregularities in the vote count, with results expected to be announced later on Sunday. President Abdulmadjid Tebboune, who is seeking a second term, faces Abdelaali Hassani Cherif, a moderate Islamist, and Youcef Aouchiche, a secularist. Preliminary voter turnout was low, with only 48% participation.
Hassani Cherif’s campaign claims that polling officials were pressured to inflate results and that there were issues with vote-sorting records and proxy voting. No comments have yet been received from Tebboune’s or Aouchiche’s campaign.
Analysts predict a strong chance of Tebboune’s re-election, which would continue his governance program, marked by increased social spending driven by higher energy revenues. Since taking office in 2019 after the “hirak” protests that ousted his predecessor Abdulaziz Bouteflika, Tebboune has supported measures to raise unemployment benefits, pensions, and public housing programs. His first election saw low voter turnout, reflecting the anti-establishment sentiment at the time, while the “hirak” movement demanding an end to corruption and political reform was curbed by the COVID pandemic.
Peoplesmind