Algeria Court Certifies President Tebboune’s Landslide Re-Election Victory
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has secured a second term in office with an overwhelming 84.3 percent of the votes in the recent election, as confirmed by the Constitutional Court. This victory comes amidst allegations of irregularities from Tebboune’s opponents, which were addressed by the court through a thorough examination of local voting data.
The National Independent Authority for Elections (ANIE) initially announced Tebboune as the winner with nearly 95 percent support, sparking challenges from other candidates. However, after careful verification and corrections of vote counting errors, the Constitutional Court determined that Tebboune’s actual vote share was lower, with his opponents receiving hundreds of thousands more votes than previously reported.
Constitutional Court President Omar Belhadj publicly announced the final results, stating that Tebboune had indeed secured a second term and would soon be sworn in to assume his responsibilities. This victory solidifies Tebboune’s position as the leader of Algeria, a role he first assumed in December 2019 amidst the backdrop of the Hirak pro-democracy protests.
Challenges and Criticisms
Despite Tebboune’s re-election, his presidency has been marred by criticism over his human rights record. Organizations such as Amnesty International have accused Algerian authorities under Tebboune of maintaining a repressive environment for dissenting voices, with a zero-tolerance approach to opposing opinions.
The low voter turnout of 46.1 percent in the recent election also raises questions about the legitimacy of Tebboune’s mandate. Analysts suggest that the president’s focus on securing a high turnout was a strategic move to validate his leadership and avoid accusations of being a poorly elected president.
Challengers Abdelaali Hassani Cherif and Youcef Aouchiche, who contested the election results, accused ANIE of forging the outcome and denounced the process as fraudulent. This sentiment was echoed by all three campaigns, including Tebboune’s, in a joint statement highlighting irregularities in the participation figures.
Final Results and Voter Turnout
The preliminary results announced by ANIE initially indicated a landslide victory for Tebboune, with over 94 percent of the vote. However, the final results revised these numbers, giving Hassani 9.56 percent and Aouchiche 6.14 percent of the votes.
Out of the 24 million Algerians registered to vote in the election, 11.2 million turned out on September 7, with 9.4 million valid ballots cast. This significant voter turnout reflects the population’s engagement with the electoral process, despite the controversies surrounding the election results.
In conclusion, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s re-election victory in Algeria has been confirmed by the Constitutional Court, solidifying his position as the country’s leader. However, challenges and criticisms surrounding the election process highlight the ongoing tensions and concerns within Algerian politics. As Tebboune prepares to assume his responsibilities for a second term, it remains to be seen how he will address the issues raised by his opponents and critics.