Algeria's 78-year-old president is expected to breeze to a second term in Saturday's election

ALGIERS, Algeria -- Algerians headed to the polls Saturday to cast votes for president and determine who will govern their gas-rich North African nation — five years after pro-democracy protests prompted the military to oust the previous president after two decades in power.

Since Algeria announced the election date earlier this year, there has been little suspense about the result.

Though he is expected to be named the winner once the results are finalized, military-backed President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said on Saturday after voting that he hoped “whoever wins will continue on the path towards a point of no return in the construction of democracy.”

Rather than who wins, the larger question is how many voters will stay home.

Tebboune's backers and challengers have all urged voters to come out to cast their ballots after boycotts and high abstention rates in previous elections marred the government's ability to claim popular support.

"I call on Algerians to vote en masse to reinforce our country's democratic processes," Mohamed Larbaoui, Tebboune's Prime Minister, said at the polls Saturday.

Algeria is Africa's largest country by area and, with almost 45 million people, it's the continent's second most populous after South Africa to hold presidential elections in 2024 — a year in which more than 50 elections are being held worldwide, encompassing more than half the world's population.

The campaign — rescheduled earlier this year to take place during North Africa's hot summer — has been characterized by apathy from the population, which continues to be plagued by high costs of living and drought that brought water shortages to some parts of the country.

Through Saturday afternoon, many polling places sat mostly empty. Without crowds or lines of voters queuing to cast their ballots, administrators hoped things would pick up later in the day before polls close at 7 p.m.

“Residents generally vote in the afternoon,” said Rabah Belamri, a neighborhood poll station chief.

“Uncle Tebboune," as his campaign has framed the 78-year-old, was elected in December 2019 after nearly a year of weekly “Hirak” demonstrations demanding the resignation of former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Their demands were met when Bouteflika resigned and was replaced by an interim government of his former allies, which called for elections later in the year.

Protestors opposed holding elections too soon, fearing candidates running that year each were close to the old regime and would derail dreams of a civilian-led, non-military state. Tebboune, a former prime minister seen as close to the military, won. But his victory was stained by boycotts and Election Day tumult, during which crowds sacked voting stations and police broke up demonstrations.

Throughout his tenure, Tebboune has used oil and gas revenue to boost some social benefits — including unemployment insurance as well as public wages and pensions — to calm discontent. To cement his legitimacy, Tebboune hopes more of the country's 24 million eligible voters participate in Saturday's election than in his first, when only 39.9% voted. By 1 p.m., turnout was 13%.

Many of the last election's boycotters remain unconvinced about elections ushering in change.

Activists and international organizations, including Amnesty International, have railed against how authorities continue prosecuting those involved in opposition parties, media organizations and civil society groups.

Some have denounced this election as a rubber stamp exercise that can only entrench the status quo.

“Algerians don’t give a damn about this bogus election,” said former Hirak leader Hakim Addad, who was banned from participating in politics three years ago. “The political crisis will persist as long as the regime remains in place. The Hirak has spoken.”

Twenty-six candidates submitted preliminary paperwork to run in the election, although only two were ultimately approved to challenge Tebboune.

Neither political novices, they avoided directly criticizing Tebboune on the campaign trail and, like the incumbent, emphasized participation.

Abdelali Hassani Cherif, a 57-year-old head of the Islamist party Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) has made populist appeals to Algerian youth, running on the slogan “Opportunity!” Youcef Aouchiche, a 41-year-old former journalist running with the Socialist Forces Front (FFS), campaigned on a “vision for tomorrow.”

Both challengers and their parties risk losing backing from would-be supporters who think they're selling out by contributing to the idea that the election is democratic and contested.

Walking near a vote center in downtown Algiers, longtime FFS supporter Mhand Kasdi said his party had betrayed its ideals by putting forth a candidate for the first time since 1999.

“It is giving its backing to a rigged election,” the 55-year-old gas station manager said, adding that Aouchiche and Hassani “are going to help make the regime's candidate look good."

Voting in his hometown Saturday, Aouchiche called on Algerians to vote for him “to give young people the confidence to put an end to the despair that drives them to take the boats of death in an attempt to reach the other side of the Mediterranean,” referencing many who elect to migrate to Europe in search of opportunity rather than remain at home.

Andrew Farrand, the Middle East and North Africa director at the geopolitical risk consultancy Horizon Engage, said both challengers were more aimed at the 2025 legislative elections than the 2024 presidential contest. Because Algerian law funds political parties based on the number of seats they win in legislative elections, they hope campaigning positions them for a strong 2025 performance.

“It’s a long game: How can I mobilize my base? How can I build up a campaign machine? And how can I get into the good graces of the authorities so that I can be in a position to increase my seats?” he said. “We’ve seen that in their choice not to overtly criticize president … paired with a very strong message to Algerians to come out and vote.”