Algeria records historic low turnout in parliamentary elections
Low voter participation overshadows legislative vote as preliminary figures show record abstention despite government appeals to boost participation
ALGIERS, Algeria (MNTV) — Algeria’s parliamentary elections ended with a preliminary voter turnout of 20.79%, the lowest ever recorded in a legislative election if confirmed, highlighting persistent voter apathy despite government efforts to encourage participation in the vote for the 407-seat National People’s Assembly.
Nearly 25 million registered voters were eligible to elect lawmakers for five-year terms in Thursday’s election. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. local time and remained open for an additional hour beyond the scheduled closing time after the National Independent Election Authority (ANIE) extended voting nationwide to encourage greater participation.
According to ANIE, preliminary turnout reached 20.79% among voters inside Algeria, while participation among Algerians living abroad stood at 10.67%.
Election officials stressed that the figures remain provisional pending final certification, but they already fall below the 23% turnout recorded in the 2021 parliamentary elections, previously the lowest in the country’s history.
The election campaign was overshadowed by controversy after electoral authorities invalidated roughly one-third of candidate lists, with several political parties alleging they had been prevented from contesting key constituencies, including the capital, Algiers.
Observers had expected parties aligned with the government, led by the National Liberation Front (FLN), to retain their dominant position in parliament.
Polling stations in central Algiers remained largely quiet throughout much of election day, although state television showed stronger participation in some other regions.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said voting was proceeding under good conditions, while Interior Minister Said Sayoud urged citizens to cast their ballots but declined to comment on turnout before polling closed.
Political analysts said voter participation remained the central measure of the election’s legitimacy, with the low turnout reflecting continuing public disengagement from electoral politics following the decline of the Hirak protest movement, which forced former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from office in 2019 before gradually being suppressed in subsequent years.
Final certified turnout figures and the allocation of the 407 parliamentary seats are expected to be announced by Algeria’s election authority in the coming days.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
