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Algerian president promises fair, free parliamentary elections

Xinhua, April 29, 2017 Adjust font size:

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika said on Saturday that the parliamentary elections on May 4 will be fair and free, urging people to vote actively to contribute to the stability of the country.

"Your massive participation in the upcoming elections will be your contribution to the country's stability, and to the deepening of democracy and the development of our country," Bouteflika said in a letter to the nation.

The president also promised to guarantee transparent and free elections, in response to claims by some opposition parties that the elections are "rigged."

"You will be choosing among a thousand of lists of political parties and independent candidates across the provinces of the country and in electoral constituencies overseas," he said.

"All officials and public servants entrusted with the mission of promoting this electoral process are to be fully impartial and to observe strict respect for the relevant provisions of the law," Bouteflika noted.

"As being Head of the Supreme Judiciary Council, I call on judges to promptly and rigorously deal with all violations and abuses that are prejudicial to the credibility and transparency of the electoral process," he added.

"Monitors of different international organizations and institutions will be witness of the transparency and integrity of the May 4 election," he said.

The electoral campaign, which started on April 9, is due to wrap up on Sunday

A total of 23,251,503 voters, of whom 45.85 percent are women, are eligible to participate in the poll, but observers say the abstentions would be high.

The lower house of parliament is composed of 462 members elected by universal suffrage for a term of five years.

The current two ruling parties of the National Liberation Front and the National Democratic Rally together won a majority of 291 seats in the last elections of May 10, 2012. Endit