Algeria is poised to appoint the first woman in its history to lead parliament’s lower house after lawmakers from the presidential majority nominated Khalida Boufedech for the post.
Proceedings at Tuesday’s inaugural session of the newly elected parliament indicated that Boufedech, a member of the ruling National Liberation Front (FLN), is the clear favorite to become speaker of the People’s National Assembly. If elected, she will also become the first woman to hold the country’s fourth-highest office in the state protocol hierarchy.
The governing coalition endorsed Boufedech after receiving approval from the presidency, ahead of the start of the new five-year term for the 407 lawmakers elected in the July 2 parliamentary vote. Other potential candidates were ultimately dropped.
Opposition parties also fielded candidates: Amine Allouche of the Islamist Movement of Society for Peace (MSP) and Rachid Hassani of the secular Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD).
Boufedech, a physician by profession, previously served on the Algiers provincial assembly and has spent decades within the FLN, which won more than 100 seats in the election.
Announcing her nomination, the FLN parliamentary bloc said it was based on her “competence and leadership experience” and would reinforce the legislature’s role in supporting stability and the country’s reform agenda.
The bloc expressed confidence in her ability to lead the chamber by consensus while strengthening its legislative, oversight, and parliamentary diplomacy functions, and urged lawmakers across party lines to back her candidacy.
Separately, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune downplayed the record-low voter turnout of 21.24 percent in the election, saying participation rates did not affect the legitimacy of parliament.
“Whether turnout is 20 percent, 21 percent, or even 70 percent, it will not undermine the credibility of the legislative institution,” Tebboune said in a televised interview Monday night. “Parliament remains the constitutional body responsible for legislation.”
Addressing the exclusion of hundreds of prospective candidates over allegations of “dirty money,” Tebboune said businesspeople were “not inherently bad,” but insisted that politics must remain separate from wealth to prevent oligarchic influence.
He added that parliamentary immunity would no longer shield lawmakers from prosecution, warning that any member found guilty of wrongdoing would immediately lose immunity and face the courts.
The president also praised the growing number of young university graduates entering politics, saying they deserved an opportunity to prove themselves and were already excelling in agriculture, innovation, and public life.
On foreign policy, Tebboune denied that Algeria had demanded visa quotas from France or sought an official apology and reparations for colonial rule, stressing that “Algeria will not beg anyone.”
His remarks came amid political debate in France over visas and immigration and as he reiterated Algeria’s position on historical memory and diplomatic sovereignty.
He also warned unnamed parties against attempting to undermine Tunisia’s security under the pretext of fighting terrorism.
Domestically, Tebboune announced planned increases in wages, the minimum wage, pensions, and university scholarships beginning in 2027, linking them to lower inflation, the fight against corruption, and stronger economic performance.
He also highlighted a new direction in relations with Europe, describing Germany as a strategic partner in technology transfer and advanced manufacturing, while expressing Algeria’s ambition to become Berlin’s leading supplier of green hydrogen.
