Algeria Votes For a New President Today

Algeria is set to elect a new president today ahead of the stipulated time, which is supposed to be December this year. Reports indicate that the decision to hold the elections earlier was made for technical reasons.

Algeria Votes For New a President Today: Political Landscape Of Algeria

Algeria suffered the consequences of French colonial rule until the country gained independence in 1962. French rule has shaped the politics of the country in various ways.  The country runs a three-arm government system which comprises the executive, legislature, and judiciary.  The head of government is the prime minister who works closely with the president.

Algeria has experienced periods of political unrest in recent years.  The country transitioned to a new democratic government system in 2019 when the then-president had to step down due to pressure from the citizenry.  The Independent National Election Authority was established which supervised the elections that saw President Abdelmadjid enter office as President.

Parties Seeking Power Today In Algeria

The Movement of Society for Peace,  The Socialist Forces Front, and an independent candidate are seeking to lead Algeria in today’s polls.

The Movement of Society for Peace is an Islamic Party led by 58-year-old Abdelaali Hassani Cherif. Hassani is an engineer and a former journalist.  His party promises constitutional reforms and increased political powers.

Youcef Aouchiche, aged 42, served as the First Secretary of the Socialist Forces Front, Algeria’s oldest opposition party, established in 1963. He fervently represents the leftist opposition. Aouchiche, a distinguished political science graduate and former journalist, has received the mandate from his party to contest in the upcoming election. His ambitious program encompasses constitutional reforms aimed at bolstering freedoms and decentralizing power, accompanied by pledges to raise salaries and dissolve the parliament.

The incumbent president, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune runs as an independent candidate.  He served as Prime Minister of Algeria in 2017.  He promises to improve the GDP of Algeria and provide affordable housing units for Algerians.

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The Electoral Process

The Independent National Election Authority will oversee today’s elections.  Voting begins at 8 am and ends at 8 pm. All parties have pledged to ensure the process takes place peacefully.

It is widely predicted that the incumbent president will retain his seat in today’s elections.  Key observers speculate that the President rushed the elections to reduce the campaign time of his opponents.

President Tebboune has good relations with the military and key people in Algeria.

International Relations

The North African country is part of international organizations like the African Union, the United Nations, and the Arab League per reports by Afro Discovery . These organizations help to provide stability in Algeria. They also offer a platform for the country to communicate with the international community.

Despite the political crisis in Algeria, the country has enjoyed relative peace for the past years. The country shares the common economic woes of most African countries but has a promising prospect. It is expected that today’s elections will free, credible, and fair. Over 24 million people are expected to cast their votes today to elect a new president to run Algeria,