Algeria votes for new parliament as record-low turnout and candidate exclusions cast shadow over legitimacy
Seven years after the Hirak protests, Algeria holds legislative elections today, but widespread disengagement and the exclusion of thousands of candidates threaten to deepen a legitimacy crisis.
Hirak's lingering shadow
Algeria's legislative election this Thursday is the second since the 2019 Hirak protests forced President Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power. The movement, which drew millions onto the streets demanding democratic renewal, gave way to the presidency of Abdelmadjid Tebboune. But seven years on, the parliament is still widely seen as a rubber-stamp body dominated by parties loyal to the executive.
The outgoing assembly was elected in 2021 with a turnout of just 23 percent, the lowest in any legislative election since independence in 1962. Many Algerians view formal politics with deep distrust, and the current campaign has done little to change that.
Low stakes, lower expectations
Roughly 24.7 million voters are registered to choose the 407 members of the People's National Assembly for a five-year term. The ruling coalition, anchored by the National Liberation Front (FLN) and the National Democratic Rally (RND), is expected to retain control. Several opposition parties are participating after boycotting in 2021, including the Socialist Forces Front (FFS) and the Workers' Party.
We must restore the prestige of parliament as the second sovereign power in the Algerian state.
Yet the campaign has been listless. In the capital Algiers, football banners outnumber election posters. Analysts note that the vote competes with the World Cup and the start of summer holidays. "The elections are currently competing with other topics, especially the World Cup and the start of summer vacation," said Robin Frisch, head of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation's Algiers office.
The Article 200 controversy
A major source of friction is the mass disqualification of candidates. According to Karim Khalfane, interim head of the electoral authority ANIE, more than 3,700 prospective candidates were barred from running, while around 10,000 were approved. The legal basis is Article 200 of the electoral law, amended in April 2026 to prevent "dirty money" from influencing elections.
Opposition figures argue the provision is a tool for political exclusion. "Elastic, overly vague, and open to all readings and interpretations," said Louisa Hanoune, secretary-general of the Workers' Party. The Islamist Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) called its application "arbitrary" and lacking clear legal evidence.
Turnout as the real barometer
For the government, participation matters more than the outcome. A source close to the executive told Courrier international that a turnout above 35 percent would be seen as a sign of political normalisation, while anything below 20 percent would be a "crushing failure." Most observers expect the figure to land far closer to the latter.
The persistent disengagement, combined with a restrictive political environment, keeps Algeria classified as "not free" by Freedom House. Political scientist Rachid Ouaissa noted that the presence of many independent candidates could signal a renewed appetite for parliamentary politics, but the systemic constraints remain severe.
A parliament of limited influence
As polls open, few expect the election to alter the balance of power. The assembly will likely remain fragmented among pro‑regime forces, smaller opposition blocs, and independents (a managed pluralism rather than genuine competition). For many Algerians, the vote is a procedural ritual detached from daily concerns, and the fear of another record‑low turnout overshadows any debate about the country's direction.
