The opposition boycots the elections in Algeria: “It’s a masquerade”

Today, Algerians go to the polls for the legislative elections. President Tebboune hopes that these will finally bring some peace to the country; everyone is invited to vote.

The divided opposition says it is boycotting the elections. Although thousands of candidates are vying for more than 400 seats, they say there is very little to choose from today.

“These elections are a masquerade, a democratic alibi. The regime is seeking legitimacy and the ballot box is an attempt to generate this legitimacy,” said Dalia Ghanem, an expert on Algeria at the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut.

Elections ahead of schedule

The elections were in fact not scheduled until 2022, but were brought forward by President Tebboune in response to the ongoing protests. Tebboune himself speaks of the beginning of a “new Algeria”, but many Algerians do not believe it; they are convinced that the military will ultimately retain most of the power.

Ghanem: “Algerians are therefore divided as to whether they will vote or not. One sees it as an opportunity to implement changes from within, the other thinks that participation gives a democratic alibi for the system and the regime. She expects a low turnout, while state television will broadcast footage of full polling stations.

Events

These are the first legislative elections since the resignation of former President Bouteflika in 2019 under pressure from millions of demonstrators. After Bouteflika said he wanted to run for a fifth term, protests broke out organized by the Hirak (“movement”). Bouteflika was a member of the ruling Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) and had been in power for twenty years. He was replaced by Tebboune, former minister and member of the same FLN.

The leaderless Hirak protests have been temporarily halted due to the pandemic, but since February Algerians have once again taken to the streets every week. As in 2019, they are calling for political change, democracy and more freedom. They are unhappy with President Tebboune and are often mistreated by the police.