Algeria president re-elected with 84.3% of vote: Official results

Algiers (AFP)

Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has won a second term with 84.3 percent of the vote in last week's election, final results announced on Saturday showed, down from an initial count contested by rivals.

The preliminary results issued by the North African country's electoral authority ANIE on Sunday gave Tebboune nearly 95 percent support.

The court's president, Omar Belhadj, announced on Saturday the official count, with Tebboune far ahead of his only two challengers.

"We announce that Mr Abdelmadjid Tebboune is elected for a second term, and will assume his responsibilities when he swears in," Belhadj said in remarks broadcast live on national TV and radio stations.

The 78-year-old incumbent had been widely expected to breeze through the election and was focused instead on securing a high turnout, which according to Belhadj stood at 46.1 percent in the September 7 ballot.

More than 24 million Algerians were registered to vote in this election.

Tebboune was elected in December 2019 with 58 percent of the vote.

The preliminary results announced by ANIE said that Tebboune had won "94.65 percent of the vote", with Hassani receiving 3.17 percent and Aouchiche 2.16 percent.