On Thursday, July 11, 2024, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared his intention to seek a second term in office, five years after rising to power as the military and establishment-backed candidate amid widespread pro-democracy protests.
The 78-year-old political veteran made his announcement during an interview set to be broadcast on Algerian television, citing support from political parties and young people as his motivation. “If the Algerian people want to vote for me, that’s fine, otherwise I’ll have accomplished my mission and whoever succeeds me will be welcome,” Tebboune stated, highlighting his achievements and the security and stability of the gas-rich North African country.
Despite avoiding a formal declaration of his intentions even after the election date was set on September 7, his candidacy was widely anticipated. Political scientist Rachid Grime remarked that Tebboune’s plans were “an open secret” and a result of discussions among the political elite.
In addition to Tebboune, 34 candidates have announced their plans to run in the upcoming election. However, only three have so far collected the required number of signatures to appear on the ballot: Youcef Aouchiche of the Socialist Forces Front, Algeria’s largest opposition party; Abdellah Hassan Cherif of the Islamist Movement for Society and Peace; and Sadia Naghzi of the General Confederation of Algerian Enterprises. Candidates have until July 18 to gather the necessary signatures.
Tebboune’s potential re-election for a second term would solidify the influence of Algeria’s political and military elite, further distancing the country from the aspirations of the “Hirak” movement, which held weekly street protests that pressured the previous president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, to resign in April 2019 after two decades in office.
A former prime minister under Bouteflika, Tebboune emerged victorious in the 2019 election, which saw a low voter turnout as protesters boycotted it, condemning it as a hasty process intended to maintain the old regime’s control over the nation with a population of 45 million.
(AP)
