Tebboune set for easy re-election in Algeria

Algerians headed to the polls o Saturday for a presidential election widely expected to re-elect incumbent Abdelmadjid Tebboune, AFP and Reuters report. 78 year old Tebboune faces two challengers: moderate Islamist Abdelaali Hassani and socialist Youcef Aouchiche. Algeria has more than 24 million registered voters and turnout will the main point of interest, especially after Tebboune's 2019 victory saw a record abstention rate of more than 60%. Early reports showed turnout at 4.5% by mid-morning, with polling stations open until 7:00 pm. Tebboune's challengers urged a large turnout, hoping to boost the election's credibility. Both candidates promised more freedoms, while Tebboune highlighted economic gains from his first term, promising to “continue the project” which he often calls the New Algeria. His main challenge is boosting voter engagement after pro-democracy protests in 2019 left many Algerians disillusioned with politics. Preliminary results are expected Saturday night, with official results by Sunday. Analystst say Tebboune remains the strong favorite for a second term.