Algeria is set to hold early presidential elections on September 7, 2024, according to a statement from the president’s office.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, attended by lawmakers, and the army’s chief of staff, although further details were not provided.
Tebboune, aged 78, was elected in December 2019, following pro-democracy protests that led to the resignation of long-time president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Initially due to complete his five-year term in December, Tebboune’s announcement of early elections has raised questions about his intentions for a potential second term, especially since he previously served as prime minister under Bouteflika, who passed away in September 2021.
The Hirak protest movement, which emerged after Bouteflika’s resignation, advocated for extensive reforms in Algeria, particularly in its hydrocarbon-rich economy.
However, the movement’s momentum was dampened by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tebboune’s administration subsequently banned demonstrations by the Hirak movement and intensified legal actions against dissenters, including activists, journalists, and academics.
Amnesty International reported in February that Algerian authorities had escalated their repression of peaceful dissent since the Hirak movement subsided in early 2020 due to the pandemic and protest bans.
Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa director, Heba Morayef, lamented the ongoing repression, emphasizing the tragic contrast with the hopeful aspirations of Algerians who took to the streets for political change and reforms five years ago.
The rights group highlighted the arbitrary arrests and detentions of hundreds of individuals, including peaceful protesters, journalists, and activists, with many still held in custody.
Urging for their immediate and unconditional release, Amnesty underscored the persistence of governmental constraints on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Algeria.
The country currently ranks 136th out of 180 countries and territories in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index.
