The President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament, calling for early legislative elections. “I decided to dissolve the assembly and call elections to build a new institution,” he said, explaining that the dissolution decision was part of reforms after amendments to the constitution in November last year.  

He also ordered the release of 60 detainees of the Hirak protest movement that forced his predecessor, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, from power in 2019 and ‘vowed’ to meet all demands raised by the movement. 

How Algeria Got Here

Algeria has a long history of revolutionary movements, with the Arab Spring being the most popular. Protests broke out in Algeria in February 2019, after the president at the time, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, announced he would be running for a fifth term in office. By March, a group of 1000 judges said they will not oversee the elections if Bouteflika was participating, the military also showed support for the protesters. Pressure from various groups and factions intensified, causing Bouteflika to resign on April 2.

Elections held on December 12, where Abdelmadjid Tebboune was elected president. Since then, he has launched a few amendments to the constitution, which he has legitimised with a referendum that held in November 2020. 

What Next for Algeria?

President Tebboune is seen to be treading with caution to prevent any more uprisings in the lead up to the election. It is not clear who the candidates will be as Tebboune himself has not announced any intentions to run for office. However, in his speeches, he encourages young Algerians to run for office saying that he will cover the costs of campaigning. Many Algerians in the Hirak movement consider his moves to be cosmetic, as he is considered part of the “old guard.” An election date for Algeria has not been announced yet but is expected soon.