Prime Minister’s Party Sweeps Parliament Vote
The party that governed Algeria for nearly 30 years before the introduction of a multiparty system swept legislative elections that were marred by violence, a boycott and the lowest turnout ever: 46%.
The National Liberation Front, led by Prime Minister Ali Benflis, more than tripled its number of seats in the 389-seat parliament, from 64 to 199 seats, officials announced.
But the election was boycotted by key opposition parties and marred by unrest among the country’s sizable Berber minority.
Hours before the vote, suspected Islamic extremists massacred 25 nomads in a village west of Algiers.
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