Tebboune Re-elected in Algeria Amid Protests and Low Turnout

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has won another term in Algeria's presidential election with 94% of the vote. Despite low voter turnout and ongoing protests, Tebboune and his two rivals appealed to the Algerian youth. Critics claim the election perpetuates the status quo amid a repressive campaign atmosphere.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has secured another term in Algeria's presidential election, winning 94% of the vote, Algeria's independent election authority announced on Sunday. This victory comes five years after pro-democracy protests led to the ousting of his predecessor.

Despite falling short of international expectations for a competitive race, Tebboune's wide margin of victory over Islamist Abdelali Hassani Cherif and socialist Youcef Aouchiche, who garnered 3% and 2.1% respectively, was no surprise. However, the election was marked by low voter turnout, with less than six million of the 24 million eligible voters casting their ballots.

This turnout continues to undermine perceptions of Tebboune's popular support, a challenge exacerbated by ongoing accusations of a repressive campaign environment. Amnesty International and other activists have criticized the election as a 'rubber stamp exercise' amid harassment of opposition parties and civil society groups. Nonetheless, Tebboune and his opponents each attempted to engage the Algerian youth, a key demographic facing significant hardships.

(With inputs from agencies.)