At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Algeria

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA
• Assembly: Algeria has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani) with 389 seats and the Council of Nations (Senate) with 144 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by direct popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani) 389 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms. In the Council of Nations (Senate), 96 members are elected by indirect vote to serve 6-year terms and 48 members are appointed to serve 6-year terms.**

** One-third of the seats are appointed by the president while the remaining two-thirds are secured by indirect votes. National Council members have a six-year term, and 50% of the seats are renewed every three years.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Adbelaziz BOUTEFLIKA*
  • Party: Society of Peace Movement (MSP) and National Democratic Assembly (RND)
• Ali BENFLIS
  • Party: National Liberation Front (FLN)
• Abdallah DJABALLAH
  • Party: Islamic El Islah Movement
• Said SADI
  • Party: Liberal Rally for Culture and Democracy
• Louiza HANOUNE
  • Party: Workers Party
• Ali Faouzi REBAINE
  • Party: AHD Party

* BOUTEFLIKA was backed by a coalition including the RND, the MSP, and rebel members of the National Liberation Front (FLN).

Last Presidential election:

• Last presidential election was held on April 15, 1999. In this election, Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA won the presidency with over 70% of the votes, after his opponents withdrew from the race citing electoral fraud.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 32,818,500 (July 2003 est.)
• Registered Voters: 18,097,225 (2004)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 16,049,150 (2004)

·         Is Algeria a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Algeria ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (22 May 1996)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 26 (6.68%) (2002)

·         Human Development Index Position: 83 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A 

Disability Data:

·         Is Algeria a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Algeria ratified CRPD: Yes (4 December 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 4,922,775 (est.)