Algerians Vote As Tebboune Eyes Easy Re-election

Muhammad Irfan Published September 07, 2024 | 06:44 PM

Algerians headed to the polls on Saturday in a presidential election widely expected to bring a second term for incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune whose main hope is for a high turnout

Algiers, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Sep, 2024) Algerians headed to the polls on Saturday in a presidential election widely expected to bring a second term for incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune whose main hope is for a high turnout.

Tebboune, 78, is heavily favoured to see off moderate Islamist Abdelaali Hassani and socialist candidate Youcef Aouchiche.

In the capital Algiers on Saturday morning, the streets were generally quiet, with most voters expected to head to the polling stations after mid-day.

"I came early to exercise my duty and choose the president of my country in a democratic manner," Sidali Mahmoudi, a 65-year-old early voter, told AFP.

Seghir Derouiche, 72, told AFP that not voting was "ignoring one's right".

Voting began at 8:00 am (0700 GMT) with polling stations set to close at 7:00 pm. At 10:00 am ANIE, the electoral authority, said turnout was 4.5 percent nationwide.

More than 24 million Algerians are registered to vote, and both of Tebboune's challengers have urged a large turnout.

"Today we start building our future by voting for our project and leaving boycott and despair behind us," Aouchiche said on national television after voting.

Hassani told journalists he hoped "the Algerian people will vote in force" because "a high turnout gives greater credibility to these elections".

Algerians abroad have been able to vote since Monday, and ANIE on Saturday put that turnout at 14.5 percent.

After voting in Algiers, Tebboune did not mention voter numbers, saying only that he hoped "Algeria will win in any case".

He said that whoever wins "will continue the project" of what he often calls the New Algeria -- the country that emerged following mass pro-democracy protests.

The incumbent's main challenge is to boost voter turnout in the North African country, after he won in 2019 with 58 percent of the vote -- but amid a record abstention rate of more than 60 percent.