Re-elected Algerian leader criticises electoral body --[Reported by Umva mag]

After being declared the winner of Algeria’s elections, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune joined his two opponents in criticising the country’s electoral authority for announcing results that contradicted earlier turnout figures and local counts.

On 7 September 2024, Abdelmadjid Tebboune was re-elected president of Algeria with 94.65 percent of the vote, according to results published by the Independent National Electoral Authority (ANIE).

However, this victory, which could be seen as proof of his popularity, is marred by numerous allegations of irregularities, which he shares with his two opponents, the Islamist Abdelali Hassani Cherif, who received 3.2 percent of the vote, and the socialist Youcef Aouchiche, with 2.2 percent.

It is rare for an election winner to join forces with his opponents to denounce electoral fraud.

But in a joint statement, the three candidates expressed their dismay at the “irregularities and contradictions” surrounding the results announced by ANIE. One of the main criticisms was the lack of clarity over the turnout figures.

ANIE stated that a turnout of 48.03 percent had been recorded, which equates to a total of 11 million 761,799 voters out of an electorate of 24 million 351,551 registered voters. However, if the votes of Tebboune (5 million 329,253), Hassani (178,797) and Aouchiche (122,146) are added together, the total is 5 million 630,196. A considerable gap of more than 6.1 million votes remains unexplained.

The two defeated candidates were quick to make their voices heard, using precise mathematical calculations to denounce the implausibility of the results.

A score of over 94 percent for the outgoing president, in a context where public distrust of the regime is palpable, raises serious questions about the credibility of elections in Algeria. This rate, interpreted by some as a reflection of ‘Stalinist popularity’, seems on the contrary to evoke practices that defy the norms of democracy.

The denunciations didn’t stop there. In their communiqués, the candidates also criticised the “ambiguity” of the communiqué announcing the provisional results, pointing out that it lacked several essential data, such as the number of invalid ballots and blank votes, crucial elements for a transparent assessment of the election.

ANIE also claimed that the turnout was 48.03 percent, while the facts suggest a much lower figure – 23.12 percent, more than 16 points lower than in the 2019 elections.

These allegations of rigging only add fuel to an atmosphere of mistrust and disillusionment among the Algerian people. Many question whether Algeria’s institutions really want to change and whether they are capable of organising fair and transparent elections. The 2024 presidential elections could well mark a turning point in people’s perception of their electoral process, which has already been marred by a history of fraud and anomalies.

Political analysts, particularly in the Western press, have questioned the impact of this situation on the legitimacy of Tebboune’s government.

MN/sf/ac/lb/as/APA

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