AFRICA/ALGERIA – Record of abstention in Algeria’s legislative elections

AFRICA/ALGERIA – Record of abstention in Algeria’s legislative elections

Algiers (Fides News Agency) – As in 2021, Algeria’s legislative elections saw a record-low turnout, held on July 2. Five years ago, around 23 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots; this year, turnout fell even further, with just 21 percent of the country’s more than 24.7 million potential voters showed up at the polling stations.

These elections were the second parliamentary vote to be held since Algeria’s political landscape came under the influence of the Hirak protest movement, which in 2019 brought hundreds of thousands of people to the streets and ultimately led to the end of Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s two-decade presidency. He was succeeded by Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and was confirmed as president in 2024.

In recent years, opposition groups have repeatedly denounced restrictions on the activities of political parties and civil society organizations.

The election campaign was marked by the exclusion of more than 3,700 candidates, while around 10,000 were approved to run, according to Al Jazeera news media.

The government justified the exclusion of more than a quarter of the candidates on the grounds of a conflict of interest or ‘suspicious activities’, applying a constitutional amendment passed in April 2026 to prevent illicit funding from influencing politics. The exclusions were widespread: they did not only affect parties that might be considered part of the opposition, such as the Front of Socialist Forces (Ffs) – which took part again after its absence in 2021 – or the Islamic Movement for Society of Peace (Msp), but also parties considered close to the establishment, such as the National Liberation Front (Fln) and the National Democratic Party (Rnd).

Perhaps the most significant feature of the campaign was the widespread skepticism—and the resulting political apathy—among voters toward the country’s political class. The phenomenon was especially widespread among Algerians under the age of 40, who account for more than 50% of the country’s population. In an effort to reach this large segment of the electorate, many candidates used “alternative” methods in favor of more informal campaigning, holding meetings in markets and cafés rather than addressing large crowds. These alternative campaign methods did not help overcome this problem, as reflected in the low turnout.

The National Liberation Front won the elections with 90 seats, eight fewer than in 2021. The National Democratic Rally came second with 73 seats, gaining 15 compared to the previous election. It was followed by the El Moustakbal Front, which won 59 seats, an increase of eleven compared to the previous election. Among the opposition parties, the Msp lost 22 seats, obtaining 43, while the Ffs gained 12 seats.

The results are expected to produce a parliamentary majority made up of parties supportive of Tebboune’s presidency. Such an outcome could strengthen consensus regarding the economic and political reform agenda of the “New Algeria,” launched by the president during his first term in office. The program aims to reform the country’s institutions and economy, yet progress has remained limited over the past seven years, a lack of tangible reforms that helps explain, at least in part, the widespread electoral apathy. (CG) (Fides News Agency, 9/7/2026)

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