Algerian elections marked by modest participation

17/05/2007

Turnout in Thursday's (May 17th) legislative elections has been lower than expected. Many Algerians have chosen not to vote, despite numerous calls from officials and the media to use their votes to combat terrorism and to enhance the credibility of the electoral process.

By Lyes Aflou and Mohand Ouali for Magharebia in Algiers – 17/05/2007

[Lyes Aflou] Voters at a polling station in Baraki, east of Algiers

Turnout has been low in Algeria's Thursday (May 17th) legislative elections, estimated at 19.49% of registered voters at 2:00 pm local time, according to the Algerian Interior Ministry. Earlier in the day, Interior Minister Yazid Zerhouni called on Algerians to vote in order to "reject terrorism and reaffirm their choice of democracy". Speaking during a visit to the voting operations headquarters at the ministry, Zerhouni said the country has "reached a point of no return. Everyone must vote, whatever their choice".

The government was alarmed by the low turnout when mid-morning figures showed most voting districts reporting between 3% and 5% participation. Radio personalities spent much of the morning calling upon the population to head to the polls.

Ahmed Ouyahi, former prime minister and leader of the National Rally for Democracy (RND), echoed the radio announcers' calls. "Voting is the best way to give terrorism a slap in the face, and to tell it that it has well and truly lost the battle," said Ouyahia in a polling station at the base of the government palace which was struck by the April 11th suicide bomb attacks.

Rather than voting, many Algerians chose to sleep in, do the grocery shopping and enjoy an early start to the week-end. Acknowledging the low turnout, Zerhouni said that legislative elections do not arouse as much interest as local elections and presidential elections.

Rural voters turned out in higher numbers than their urban counterparts. Algiers saw 9.35% participation and Tizi Ouzou saw 8.96%. In the 2002 legislative elections, 46.17% of Algeria's registered voters cast their ballots, according to Ministry of Interior figures.

A number of Islamist parties and organisations have called for a boycott of the elections. While some Algerians may support these measures, others have decided to vote in opposition to these groups. "I wasn’t intending to vote, but I did it as a matter of principle, in case my abstention would be exploited for political purposes by terrorists. I voted for the list of the republican alliance led by Amara Benyounes," Omar Bensedik, a French teacher in an Algiers high school, told Magharebia.

Other voters provided more practical reasons to head to the polls. Fodhil Kaci's main concern in participating in the election was to get his voting card stamped. "I’m not going to pretend to you. I came to vote so that my voting card could be stamped, because I could be asked for it any time if I need some administrative document."

[Getty Images] The government was alarmed by the low turnout in the morning

His father Ahmed, in his seventies, voted instead for the FLN list. "I’ve always voted for the FLN as a matter of course, and I’m not going to change my mind today," he said, "but I’m not expecting much to come out of the election. It’s just my duty as a citizen to do it."

Many registered voters, however, chose not to vote. Kabylia resident Rachida Mezoui told Magharebia she had no plans to vote. "None of it interests me. It's all just talk. I know some of the candidates, and I know they are absolutely worthless. I prefer to take advantage of my day off."

Although participation remained low, by midday no irregularities in the electoral process had been reported. "Up to now, everything has gone normally, as you can see for yourself," chorused the FLN, RCD and RND observers at the Abane Ramdane de Mohammadia voting centre in Mohammadia.