Algeria sees low voter turnout in presidential election

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00:00The figure is not final, but it seems turnout was higher this time in Algeria's presidential poll.

00:06The average turnout rate for the first round reached 48.03 percent.

00:15When Abdelmajid Taboun was first elected in 2019, turnout was at less than 40 percent.

00:22Voting stations remained open on Saturday for an extra hour in some areas.

00:28Taboun faced two opponents.

00:31Abdelali Hassani, a 57-year-old public works engineer

00:36and leader of the Movement of Society for Peace, the country's main Islamist party.

00:42And Youssef Aouchiche, 41, a former journalist and senator,

00:47head of the Socialist Forces Front, the country's oldest opposition party.

00:52All candidates called on Algerians to cast their ballots to strengthen the elected president.

01:01The election is about the future of our children and our grandchildren.

01:05Many things will depend on it. Hospitals, universities, purchasing power,

01:10the stability of the country. So the president must have real popular support.

01:15Some observers criticized the campaign,

01:20saying the sitting president was largely expected to win.

01:24Taboun has been criticized for the crackdown on political opponents during his mandate

01:30and throughout the campaign. Rights groups, including Amnesty International,

01:36point to a spike in political arrests and new laws that curtail freedom of expression in Algeria,

01:42calling on authorities to reverse those policies.

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