Algiers - Voting for Algeria’s presidential election has started, with Algerians living abroad being the first to cast their ballots over the weekend, ahead of the actual polling day on April 17.
Also voting early, will be the nomadic tribes in the country's vast desert areas, who will begin voting at mobile polling units on Monday.
Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra on Sunday said that voting by Algerians living abroad which started on Saturday had proceeded very smoothly.
Lamamra told journalists after a meeting here with international observers of the presidential election: "We witnessed a good turnout compared with that for parliamentary elections in 2012 and we hope the turnout of Sunday, a worldwide rest day, will be a little higher than on the first day”.
A total of 1 009 285 voters abroad are eligible to vote and polling for them runs from April 12 to 17, at 398 polling stations, including 52 in France.
On Monday, voting begins for nomadic voters in the Saharan and remote regions through 167 mobile polling stations, said the Director for General Freedoms and Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Interior and Local Government, Mohamed Talbi.
He told the international observers at the meeting at the Foreign Ministry that voting for these people will begin in the remote regions of Tamanrasset, Ouargla, Illizi and Tindouf, for which 46 mobile polling stations have been set up, adding that 27 000 voters are registered on the voters’ lists.
The operation will last until Tuesday through 47 mobile polling stations for 33 000 electors in the remote regions of Adrar, Bechar, Tamanrasset, El Oued and Naama. Also, this operation runs until Wednesday through 70 mobile polling stations for 32 000 voters in the remote regions of Adrar, Laghouat, Batna, Bechar and El Oued. Thursday will be the Election Day for the remaining regions, Talbi said.
Regarding the electoral campaign, Talbi recalled that administration put 3 250 spaces at the disposal of the six candidates, including 1868 halls, 799 stadiums and 583 public squares to allow them holding their meetings, in addition to thousands of display spaces.
Campaigning which started last March 23 ended on Sunday midnight with several candidates running meetings in Algiers even as Algerians abroad continued to vote for a second day.
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is seeking re-election as an independent candidate. – SAnews.gov.za-NNN-APS
