By Staff, Agencies Algerians head to the polls on Saturday for a presidential election that is widely anticipated to see incumbent President Abdelmadjid Tebboune secure a second term. This election features three candidates: Youcef Aouchiche, the Secretary General of the Front of Socialist Forces [FFS]; independent candidate Tebboune; and Abdelaali Hassani, leader of the Movement of Society for Peace [MSP].

Preliminary results may be released as early as Saturday night, with the Independent Electoral Authority [ANIE] required to officially announce the results by Sunday.

According to figures from ANIE, the electorate consists of 24,351,551 voters.

Algeria’s electoral law stipulates that a candidate winning more than 51% of the vote can secure the presidency without the need for a second round.

Tebboune, 78, is the clear frontrunner, expected to defeat moderate Islamist Hassani and socialist candidate Aouchiche in the contest to lead the North African nation.

Tebboune has emphasized his economic achievements during his first term, including job creation and wage increases, in Africa’s largest natural gas exporter.

His challengers, however, have focused on expanding freedoms for Algerians.

Voting for the Algerian community abroad, totaling 865,490 voters [45% women, 55% men], began Monday and is supervised by 117 commissions across various regions including Europe, the Arab world, Africa, Asia, and the Americas