An international report stated that the confusion surrounding the recent Algerian presidential elections, particularly the announcement of results, confirms that the military regime in Algeria has become both weak and desperate. It noted that the low voter turnout reflects the disappointment felt by Algerians towards decision-makers.
The report, published by the international political analysis magazine World Politics Review on Tuesday, titled "Algeria’s Regime Is Getting Sloppy—and Desperate," highlighted that the glaring contradictions in the preliminary figures released by the National Election Authority in Algeria depict an authoritarian regime that is either extremely lax in rigging elections or unable to agree on effective ways to conceal its unpopularity.
The report pointed out the inconsistency in voter turnout figures announced by the Algerian National Election Authority, which initially claimed participation exceeded 40%, while subsequent figures indicated that turnout did not surpass 25%. This underscores the weak engagement of Algerian citizens in the presidential elections.
The report asserted that the military regime organizes elections solely to appoint a president favored by the army while the Algerian generals continue to govern the political system from behind the scenes. It emphasized that the voter turnout in the presidential elections is a clear sign that Algerians do not approve of the way they are being governed.
It also noted that many previous Algerian presidents attempted to reduce the weight of the army and security apparatus in the ruling system, but all failed. One of them, at least, Mohamed Boudiaf, was assassinated for this reason.
The report further mentioned that social movements in Algeria have slowed down in recent years for two reasons: increased repression by the army, alongside the prohibition of gatherings and the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic; and the second reason is a wave of social spending by the regime to benefit the population due to rising global energy prices, from which Algeria has benefited.
However, despite this, the report indicated that disappointment prevails among the Algerian people, especially with five more years under President Tebboune, particularly as the regime lacks a real plan to address the country's challenges.
Additionally, it is worth noting that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune took the oath of office today, Tuesday, at the Palace of Nations in Algiers, in the presence of senior state officials and representatives of the nation’s high bodies, in preparation for commencing his duties as president of Algeria for a second term.
The recent presidential elections in the country stirred significant controversy, not only due to the confusion and contradictions in the results but also because of the military regime's control and the disqualification of several popular candidates from competing against Abdelmadjid Tebboune, with only less popular candidates being allowed to run: Abdel Ali Sharif Hassani, a candidate from the Movement for a Society of Peace, and Youssef Ouchichen from the Socialist Forces Front.
