Algerians are voting on July 2 to elect 407 members of the People’s National Assembly in a parliamentary election viewed as a significant test of political change and public participation since the 2019 Hirak protest movement.

More than 24.7 million registered voters, including approximately 854,000 abroad, are eligible to participate, according to the Independent National Authority of Elections (ANIE). However, voter turnout is expected to be low amid ongoing dominance by established political parties and skepticism about the depth of reforms following the ousting of longtime president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has presented the election as part of building a “new Algeria” after the 2019 uprising. Critics, however, contend that executive power remains dominant, with parliament having limited legislative influence and opposition activities restricted by legal and political pressures.

Electoral authorities reported rejecting hundreds of candidates and multiple party lists during nomination reviews, citing eligibility and legal compliance issues. Several activists linked to the Hirak movement, including prominent opposition figure Karim Tabbou, have faced prosecution or restrictions since 2019. Tabbou has been repeatedly arrested and is a vocal critic of what he describes as shrinking political space.

The ruling National Liberation Front (FLN) and its ally, the National Democratic Rally (RND), face competition from opposition parties such as the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), nationalist, Islamist, and independent groups. Notably, opposition parties that boycotted the 2021 elections, including the Socialist Forces Front (FFS), the Workers’ Party (PT), and the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), are participating this time, highlighting ongoing debates over whether engagement or boycott is more effective.

Authorities maintain that the vote is part of ongoing reforms to strengthen institutions post-Hirak, while critics argue that executive authority remains largely unchanged.

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