Legislative: Algeria pending, towards a return of traditional parties

More than 48 hours after the ballot, Algerians are still awaiting the results of the early legislative elections on Saturday, marked by massive abstention and which, according to local media, could consecrate the victory of the traditional parties yet considered moribund and rejected by the protest.

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At the close of the poll, the president of the National Independent Election Authority (ANIE), Mohamed Chorfi, had indicated that the official results could not be announced before 96 hours - that is until Wednesday evening - because of the count

by the new voting system. This delay triggered a controversy over a possible "swelling" of the participation rate. According to ANIE, the provisional turnout reached 30.20%, a very low score even if some analysts consider it "real" unlike the election rates of the Bouteflika era.

Turnout had reached 35.70% in the last legislative elections in 2017 and 42.90% in 2012. For years, analysts have qualified abstention as "the largest party in Algeria".

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President Abdelmadjid Tebboune argued on Saturday. According to several media, the winners of the last legislative elections (2017) - the National Liberation Front (FLN) and the National Democratic Rally (RND) - are well placed to win the day. This would come as a surprise as they were considered moribund, due to their compromise with ousted President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, even though they benefit froman old and extensive establishment.

The main party of the legal Islamist movement, the Movement of the Society for Peace (MSP), which claimed victory on Sunday, would come in second, according to these media. The MSP, a conservative party, considered moderate, warned against "the many attempts to change the results." ANIE has refuted

claims

Some 24 million Algerians were called upon to elect the 407 deputies of the National People's Assembly. They had to choose from 2,288 lists, of which more than 1,200 were displayed as

, a first. These lists were openly encouraged by a power in search of renewal of its legitimacy after two elections (presidential and referendum) marked by a record abstention. This is the first legislative since the popular Hirak uprising, unprecedented and peaceful, which resulted in the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika after 20 years of reign.