News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
22
o
Mount Lebanon
21
o
Metn
22
o
Keserwan
22
o
North
23
o
South
22
o
Bekaa
20
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
The Stage
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
22
o
Mount Lebanon
21
o
Metn
22
o
Keserwan
22
o
North
23
o
South
22
o
Bekaa
20
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Documentaries
Lebanon’s Centennial
News Bulletin
The Untold History
Talk Show
Series
Sports
Variety
Other
Comedy
Oldies
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Algerians protest through day of disputed election
Breaking Headlines
2019-12-12 | 05:39
High views
Share
Share
Algerians protest through day of disputed election
Watch now
More details about online video viewing packages
4
min
Algerians protest through day of disputed election
Thousands of people took to the streets in Algiers and other cities on Thursday chanting "No vote! We want freedom!" as Algerian authorities held a presidential election that protesters view as a charade to keep the ruling elite in power.
In the capital, police rushed the crowd with sticks to disperse the marchers, but fell back as more protesters arrived. One young man of about 25 shouted "We are free!" as a policeman tried to arrest him.
The military-backed government sees the vote as the only way to end 10 months of unrest that brought down veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April. The demonstrators say no vote to replace him can be legitimate while the old guard still holds sway.
All five candidates that won approval to stand are former senior officials. A second-round run-off will be held if none wins an outright majority.
No result is expected on Thursday, but officials said 33% of registered voters had cast ballots by 1600 GMT, two hours before polls closed. There were no foreign observers monitoring the polls and protesters may dispute official figures.
In the center of the capital Algiers some people were voting as police patrolled the streets on foot and in vehicles. A helicopter circled overhead.
"I WILL NOT VOTE AGAINST MY COUNTRY"
"The country has entered a critical phase," said Aziz Djibali, 56, who went to vote at a polling station near the prime minister's office. "It's time for Algerians to voice their opinions peacefully."
But Djamel Faradji, among thousands protesting on the capital's central Didouche Mourad boulevard, waved a flag that read: "I am Algerian and I will not vote against my country."
The unemployed 27-year-old has been protesting for months. Like many demonstrators, he carried a flower to show that the protests are peaceful. Protests would continue despite the apparent defiance of the authorities, he said.
Others who did not join the protests also seemed ambivalent at best. "What is the benefit of voting?" asked Salim Bairi, a schoolteacher sitting in a central cafe.
The five presidential candidates are ex-prime ministers Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Ali Benflis, ex-culture minister Azzeddine Mihoubi, former tourism minister Abdelkader Bengrine, and Abdelaziz Belaid, a former member of the ruling FLN party's central committee.
The winner faces a dire economy, with falling oil revenue leading to a planned 9% fall in public spending next year.
Video posted online showed other demonstrations in Oran, Constantine and elsewhere. Protesters destroyed ballot boxes in the town of Bejaia and others took to the streets in the town of Haizer in the Kabylie region, chanting "No vote", as polling stations stayed shut.
The area - once a bastion of the independence movement against French colonialism and the main arena of a 1990s civil war between the state and Islamist insurgents that killed 200,000 people - has been a center of this year's protests.
Aissa Ait Mohand, 22, an unemployed farmer's son, said young people in the area regarded the election as a "trick" by the authorities to stay in power. "The government is corrupt. It has to be uprooted one way or another," he said.
However, some people in Haizer supported the election, including former Islamist fighters who laid down their arms after the civil war and now back working with the authorities.
"We used to chant for an Islamic state without elections in the 1990s," said one of them, who gave his name as Yahya. "We ended up with a civil war."
REUTERS
To watch the full report, please clcik on the video above.
Breaking Headlines
Algeria
Elections
Next
Grand Mufti Derian travels to Saudi Arabia for Hajj
Recommended For You
d-none hideMe
0
Breaking Headlines
2024-05-01
War casualty update: Israeli army reports 3,330 injuries, 1,602 during ground ops
Breaking Headlines
2024-05-01
War casualty update: Israeli army reports 3,330 injuries, 1,602 during ground ops
0
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
Middle East News
2024-04-25
Over 430 settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque on third day of Passover holiday: Al Jazeera reports
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
Lebanon News
2024-04-23
Hezbollah announces launching 'dozens of rockets' at Israel in response to civilian deaths
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
Lebanon News
2024-04-21
Breaking: Israeli airstrike hits Naqoura, reports NNA
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
Middle East News
2024-04-20
Iran to respond at 'maximum level' if Israel acts against its interests, FM says
Middle East News
2024-04-20
Iran to respond at 'maximum level' if Israel acts against its interests, FM says
0
World News
03:18
Russia blames Baltic states for cutting most of the relations
World News
03:18
Russia blames Baltic states for cutting most of the relations
0
Lebanon News
2024-02-14
Gantz: The one responsible for launching rockets from Lebanon is not only Hezbollah but the Lebanese state, and the response will be soon and forcefully
Lebanon News
2024-02-14
Gantz: The one responsible for launching rockets from Lebanon is not only Hezbollah but the Lebanese state, and the response will be soon and forcefully
0
Lebanon News
2023-07-03
Defense Minister and French Senator discuss bilateral relations
Lebanon News
2023-07-03
Defense Minister and French Senator discuss bilateral relations
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
Lebanon News
2024-04-30
University Students Organize Solidarity Protest for Palestine (VIDEO)
0
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
Lebanon News
2023-12-11
Breaking: Israel launches raid north of Litani on Monday (Video)
0
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
Lebanon News
2023-11-02
Exclusive to LBCI: U.S. State Department's Wooster Stresses Lebanon Must Avoid War, Sees Renewed Push for Two-State Solution
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
Lebanon News
2023-10-18
Protests Erupt near US Embassy in Awkar Against Israeli Attacks on Al-Maamadani Hospital in Gaza
0
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
Lebanon News
2023-10-05
ATFL's Ambassador Edward Gabriel on Navigating Through Economic, Political, and Refugee Crises
0
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
Sports News
2023-08-31
Amir Saoud Powers Lebanon to Victory Over Cote d'Ivoire: A Deep Dive Into The Numbers
0
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
Sports News
2023-08-29
France Edges Past Lebanon in a Nail-Biter at FIBA World Cup 2023: A Statistical Deep Dive
0
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Lebanon News
2019-02-28
Pierre el-Daher, the man who defeated the Lebanese Forces
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Middle East News
10:23
British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta denied entry into France
Middle East News
10:23
British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta denied entry into France
2
Lebanon News
05:39
Israeli airstrike kills three in southern Lebanon
Lebanon News
05:39
Israeli airstrike kills three in southern Lebanon
3
News Bulletin Reports
12:24
Deadline set: Israel gives Hamas one week to respond to prisoner exchange proposal
News Bulletin Reports
12:24
Deadline set: Israel gives Hamas one week to respond to prisoner exchange proposal
4
Israel-Gaza War Updates
03:30
Hamas leader says movement won't accept truce without 'permanent halt to war' in Gaza
Israel-Gaza War Updates
03:30
Hamas leader says movement won't accept truce without 'permanent halt to war' in Gaza
5
News Bulletin Reports
12:30
Tackling online harassment: Protecting children in the digital world
News Bulletin Reports
12:30
Tackling online harassment: Protecting children in the digital world
6
News Bulletin Reports
12:25
A voice for Palestine: Pro-Palestinian protesters continue their movement in US universities
News Bulletin Reports
12:25
A voice for Palestine: Pro-Palestinian protesters continue their movement in US universities
7
Lebanon News
07:17
Hezbollah launches 'dozens' of rockets on northern Israel in response to civilian deaths in southern Lebanon
Lebanon News
07:17
Hezbollah launches 'dozens' of rockets on northern Israel in response to civilian deaths in southern Lebanon
8
Middle East News
08:09
Israeli government orders confiscation of Al Jazeera's equipment following decision to shut it down
Middle East News
08:09
Israeli government orders confiscation of Al Jazeera's equipment following decision to shut it down
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More