After being declared the winner of Algeria's election, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune surprised many by joining his challengers in criticizing the country’s election authority. The criticism arose after the election results contradicted earlier turnout figures and local tallies, casting doubt on what was initially seen as a landslide re-election for the 78-year-old head of state.
Tebboune secured 94.7% of the vote, far outpacing Islamist candidate Abdelali Hassani Cherif and socialist Youcef Aouchiche, who received just 3.2% and 2.2%, respectively.
Hours after the announcement, Tebboune and his opponents released a joint statement accusing the National Independent Election Authority (ANIE) of providing contradictory results. This rare show of unity in a country known for tightly controlled elections has shocked Algerians, who expected an uneventful victory for Tebboune.
Questions remain about whether the joint doubts raised by all three candidates will result in legal challenges or delay the final certification of the results. Efforts by Tebboune's government to boost voter turnout seemed to fall flat, with less than 25% of the electorate participating. Officials reported 5.6 million voters out of 24 million had cast their ballots, surpassing the high abstention rates of previous elections. Initially, the turnout had been reported at 48%, but the figure was later corrected without explanation, further stoking controversy.
Before Tebboune joined in, his challengers had already voiced concerns about the discrepancies. Aouchiche called the situation “strange,” while Cherif’s campaign manager, Ahmed Sadok, criticized the delays and transparency of the process, saying it was “an attack on the image of Algeria.” He also pointed to irregularities such as group voting and pressure on poll workers.
The election, already marred by a repressive political climate, has sparked outrage among activists and civil society groups. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, condemned the government’s crackdown on dissent during the campaign. Critics have dismissed the election as a rubber stamp for the country’s military-backed elites, reinforcing the status quo rather than fostering genuine democracy.
Even before the results were questioned, both Tebboune’s supporters and detractors had drawn contrasting conclusions. Pro-Tebboune voices hailed the outcome as an endorsement of his program, while pro-democracy activists saw the election as another attempt by Algeria's military-backed political elite to maintain control, with many abstaining from voting in protest.
