President offers olive branch to protesters Algeria

Algeria’s newly elected president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has vowed to reach out to pro-democracy protesters, who took to the streets en masse to challenge his election as head of the oil-rich nation, which has been crippled by rampant corruption.

The 74-year-old former prime minister received 58 per cent of the vote, according to official results. The turnout in Friday’s election was just 41 per cent, reflecting the frustration of many

Algerians who had hoped to see new faces among the candidates.

In a symbolic move, Tebboune reached out to members of the vibrant pro-democracy movement, which began in February and boycotted the election. He said he was ready to meet with the protesters’ leaders to ‘‘listen to them (and) take care of their concerns’’.

He also said he would make it a priority to revise the country’s constitution to establish a ‘‘new Algeria’’ that corresponded to the aspirations of the protest movement. The project will be put to a referendum.

Tebboune vowed to fight the corruption ‘‘which has infected the Algerian state’’ and to clean up politics. He also paid tribute to the Algerian military for handling the protest movement for nine months ‘‘without bloodshed’’.

Tebboune’s election has disappointed protesters who believe the poll was rigged in favour of the old regime.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets yesterday to demand a ‘‘free and democratic’’ Algeria and to reject the election results, chanting ‘‘No to elections of shame’’ and denouncing alleged fraud.