Algeria's ruling coalition wins legislative elections

The interior ministry said turnout was 38.25 percent, reflecting the distrust among Algerians that a weak parliament can bring about change in a system dominated by the National Liberation Front since independence in 1962.

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika looks at journalists after casting his ballot during the parliamentary election in Algiers, Algeria, May 4, 2017.
TRT World and Agencies

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika looks at journalists after casting his ballot during the parliamentary election in Algiers, Algeria, May 4, 2017.

The party of Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and its coalition ally have won a clear majority of seats in parliament, results released by the interior ministry on Friday showed.

Announcing the results, the interior ministry said turnout was 38.25 percent, reflecting distrust among Algerians that a weak parliament can bring change in a system dominated since 1962 independence by the National Liberation Front, or FLN party.

Turnout is often low in the country's parliament elections and was 43 percent in 2012.

FLN, whose roots trace back to the war against colonial France, won 164 seats in the 462-seat National Assembly. Allies, the National Rally for Democracy, or RND, won 97 seats, according to the interior ministry.

The two lists of opposition religious parties won 44 seats between them.

The official results will be announced by the constitutional council after any appeals.

Thursday's vote was marred by voter disillusionment over what many see as broken government promises and a political system tainted by corruption.

The North African country weathered the 2011 popular uprisings across the region with massive spending on wages and subsidies that depleted government coffers.

But a 2014 slump in crude oil prices forced the government to raise taxes and mothball many public projects.

Today, in a country of 40 million where half the population is under 30, one young person in three is unemployed.

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