Algerian President hails elections despite low turnout

Algerian President hails elections despite low turnout
Abdelaali Hassani Cherif, leader of the Movement of Society for Peace, casts his ballot, Algiers, Algeria on 2 July, 2026.
Anadolu Agency
By Robert Firth , Anadolu
July 5, 2026 10:59
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President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has praised the conduct of Algeria's parliamentary elections, describing the vote as a step forward for democracy in the North African nation.

In a statement marking Independence Day, celebrated annually on 5 July, Tebboune said the elections held two days earlier had taken place in a "fair and democratic competitive environment".

The President, who is seeking a second term in office later this year, expressed his appreciation for the efforts made to ensure the successful completion of the poll.

Voters arrive at a polling station to cast their ballots during the parliamentary elections in Algiers, Algeria on July 2, 2026.
Anadolu Agency

"These efforts contributed to the election campaign being conducted in a fair and democratic competitive environment," Tebboune said, adding that citizens were able to cast their votes in "peace and security".

However, official figures suggest public enthusiasm for the vote remained muted.

The National Independent Electoral Commission announced turnout of just 20.79 per cent for the election to the 407-seat National People's Assembly, significantly down from the 30 per cent recorded in the previous parliamentary poll in 2021.

The Commission is responsible for announcing provisional results, with the Constitutional Court declaring final outcomes once any objections have been resolved.

Second post-Bouteflika poll

More than 24 million voters were eligible to take part in what was the second parliamentary election since the Hirak pro-democracy protests that forced long-time President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power in 2019.

Algeria, which gained independence from France on 5 July 1962 following a brutal eight-year war, has been navigating a complex political transition since the Hirak uprising.

Tebboune, who came to power in December 2019, has pledged to reform the political system while maintaining stability.

The President made no direct reference to the turnout figures in his Independence Day message, focusing instead on the conduct of the electoral process itself.

Final results are expected to be certified by the Constitutional Court in the coming days.

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