Algeria’s upcoming presidential election on October 7 is marked by widespread apathy amid inflation and a perceived lack of political change. Many Algerians are more concerned with rising prices of everyday goods like school supplies and potatoes rather than with the election. Consequently, military-backed President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is expected to easily secure a second term. Tebboune faces only two challengers: Islamist Abdelaali Hassani Cherif and socialist Youcef Aouchiche in an election that critics have decried as a rubber-stamp exercise. Allegations of political repression and election fraud persist, with dozens of activists under arrest and three potential candidates under court supervision. Algeria’s current political climate is a far cry from 2019 when pro-democracy activists under the umbrella of the Hirak movement led the call for changes to the country’s political system. Those efforts culminated in the resignation of then-President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the election of Tebboune as Algeria’s new president.
SOURCE: AP NEWS
Algerian Voters Apathetic to Upcoming Election Amid Inflation
