Former PM Tebboune Declared Winner in Algerian Election

Algeria’s electoral commission chairman Mohamed Charfi announced on Friday that former prime minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune had won Thursday’s presidential election with 58% of the vote. Some 9 million Algerians cast ballots in Thursday’s election – a 40% turnout – despite a boycott encouraged by protesters who say the vote was a sham meant only to maintain the power of the ruling elite. Thousands are expected to show up for demonstrations on Friday denouncing the election. The protesters, known as “Hirak” (“the movement”), say the five candidates who competed to replace ousted long-time leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika as president were hand-picked from among Bouteflika loyalists. They included two former prime ministers, two ex-ministers and a former member of the ruling party’s central committee. Protesters vow not to stop their demonstrations until the entire ruling elite is forced to step aside.