Algeria confirms Tebboune as new president, despite protests

ALGIERS, Algeria – Algeria’s constitutional Council has confirmed Abdelkader Tebboune as the new president of Africa’s largest country for the next five years — despite mass protests challenging his election last week.

Tebboune won the vote in the first round with 58% of the vote, the head of the constitutional Council announced on state television Monday. The other four candidates didn’t contest the result.

The constitutional body said the vote was carried out in a “good climate” — and didn’t mention the protests that have filled the streets of Algiers and other cities every Friday since February.

The peaceful pro-democracy movement pushed out Tebboune’s ailing predecessor, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, after 20 years in charge of this oil-rich country struggling with corruption. The protesters reject Tebboune because he served as prime minister in the old regime, and because the vote was organized by a power structure they want thrown out.

Tebboune vowed after his victory was announced Friday to reach out to the protesters and fight corruption.

The inauguration date has not been set but is expected before the end of the year.