In a resounding victory, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has won the presidential election, according to the country's electoral authority. The National Independent Authority for Elections (ANIE) announced that Tebboune received an overwhelming 94.65 percent of the vote.

Out of the recorded 5,630,000 voters, a staggering 5,320,000 cast their ballots in favor of the independent candidate Tebboune. His challengers, conservative Abdelaali Hassani Cherif and socialist Youcef Aouchiche, secured 3 percent and 2.1 percent of the votes, respectively.

While Hassani Cherif's campaign alleged irregularities such as pressure on polling station officials and failures to deliver vote-sorting records to candidates' representatives, it did not explicitly state that these violations impacted the election outcome. ANIE's head, Mohamed Charfi, however, emphasized that the electoral commission had worked diligently to ensure a transparent and fair competition among all candidates.

The provisional figures from ANIE indicated an average turnout rate of 48 percent, without providing a breakdown of the number of voters against the initial registered count. Algiers-based Al Jazeera reporter Osama Bin Javaid highlighted Algeria's history of military involvement in politics, stating that the country has been striving towards democracy with leaders favored or backed by the military establishment. He further noted the lack of interest among young Algerians in the election, who felt disconnected from the electoral process and expressed a desire for more tangible efforts to address their concerns.

Tebboune's re-election is expected to continue the governing program focused on increased social spending, thanks to revived energy revenues during his first term in office that followed a period of low oil prices. He has pledged to enhance unemployment benefits, pensions, and public housing programs, which were already expanded during his initial tenure. As Africa's largest country by area and the second most populous nation on the continent after South Africa, Algeria is scheduled to hold presidential elections again in 2024.

Throughout the campaign season, activists and international organizations, including Amnesty International, criticized the repressive atmosphere and harassment faced by opposition parties, media organizations, and civil society groups. Some slammed the election as a mere formality that perpetuates the status quo. Nevertheless, all three presidential candidates, including Tebboune, actively urged political participation and made appeals to the Algerian youth, who represent a majority of the population and bear the brunt of poverty and unemployment.

With another term ahead, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune now has the mandate to forge ahead with his plans for the country, which aim to address the socioeconomic challenges faced by Algerians and solidify Algeria's path towards a more inclusive and prosperous future.