The curtain has fallen and, “oh surprise!” The two senile people on the balcony of the Muppets show made in Algeria have been re-elected. Yes, you guessed it: the presidential election in Algeria has just ended in an apotheosis worthy of the greatest Hollywood scenarios. So, we are entitled to open a small parenthesis to the neighborhood to admire the incredible electoral theater that was played out in the East of Eden.
In this context, Hespress FR asked Mohamed Talib, member of the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), who enlightened us on the relevance of this event which, if not making people laugh, would rather tend to provoke a few tears.
Tebboune’s victory amid discontent
Our interlocutor does not beat around the bush and starts off ironically: Tebboune’s re-election is a bit like a football match where the referee is also the coach, and where the fans are kindly invited to stay at home. But, let’s be fair, after all, how can we not welcome this masterful victory, obtained in a climate of general discontent?
The Algerians have understood this well and they demonstrated it during the last Fennecs football match on the eve of the election when the spectators chanted “we will not go to the vote, we prefer the “boats” meaning the “pateras” of immigration.
Some thought the vote was about demanding reforms, but in reality it was just a well-oiled play. Stability, above all, rests on “key” institutions (a nod to the army and political elites), ready to guarantee the “popular will” in their own way.
Electoral strategies of the “re-elected”
Let’s not be petty, the president, “incoming-outgoing”, has nevertheless known how to demonstrate strategy. At the same time, with an opposition as small as a desert without an oasis, there is no need to rack his brains too much. He only had to brandish promises of reforms – those reforms that we always see on the horizon, but that we never achieve – and to remind us how precious stability and national unity are.
In short, a good old speech of the terror of chaos, accompanied by a few anecdotes about its “achievements”, in order to say that we are not content to sit on our armchairs. But where it becomes fascinating is the role of our friends the military. In Algeria, apparently, democracy and military fatigues are made to coexist in perfect harmony.
Participation rate and legitimacy
Let’s talk about the turnout. A real plebiscite! Unless it’s a reverse plebiscite. Who cares about these little details? A historically low turnout, yes, but that matters little. Because as the saying goes, legitimacy is not measured by the ballots, but by the silence that follows. And on that, the president and his new regime can rest easy: general disinterest, widely shared skepticism, and presto, the trick is done.
Tebboune’s re-election will surely not be without consequences, particularly on relations with Morocco. Our neighbors could well continue to play their part in a dissonant diplomatic symphony. Tension could remain the main course on the table of regional negotiations, so as not to change a recipe that, for the time being, still works when it comes to blocking a process.
Internal challenges
The biggest challenge for the president and his clique will be to prove that he can do better than his first term. With an economy in disarray, galloping unemployment and social demands that continue to grow, he will have his work cut out for him. But, the promises of economic and social reforms are ready to be served to the population, with the same lukewarm sauce that has been reserved for them for decades.
As for the blessed Hirak, which he claims to lead, he has several options: crush it under the iron heel of repression or feign an openness to dialogue. The first option seems much more likely, because after all, who needs to discuss with protesters when you have a loyal army and well-honed strategies to keep power?
An uncontested and incontestable president
In conclusion, just like a recurring actor in a series whose outcome is already known, Tebboune is back for a second term. His governance will probably continue on the same line, with the same promises, the same challenges, and, of course, the unwavering support of his elite public.
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