ALGIERS — European Union observers Saturday gave a qualified endorsement to an Algerian parliamentary election which handed victory to the ruling party, against the tide of “Arab Spring” revolts.

Some opposition forces expressed suspicions there had been manipulation of the vote, though the authorities denied this.

Jose Ignacio Salafranca, head of the EU’s observer mission in Algeria, said there were shortcomings in some technical aspects of the election but there were “as many positive points as there were weak points.”

“This election constitutes a first step on the path to reform which should lead ... to a deepening of democracy and human rights,” he told a news conference.

The National Liberation Front (FLN), the party of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, won 220 seats in the 462-seat parliament.

The RND party, led by Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia, was in second place and a moderate Islamist alliance with links to the ruling establishment came third, according to the official results.
Analysts had expected the Islamists to win the election, That would have brought energy exporter Algeria closer into line with the changes in countries such as Tunisia and Egypt in the wake of last year’s insurrections.
Thursday’s election was the first time Algeria’s authorities have invited observers from the EU to monitor a vote.

The invitation was seen by diplomats as a sign Algeria was committed to a more transparent election.
Asked about allegations of vote-rigging, Salafranca said Algeria had a mechanism in place to expose any abuse, and if it did happen, it would be up to the judicial system to decide what action to take.

He said he was concerned that the Interior Ministry, which administers elections, had refused to give his observers free access to the national electoral role.

In past elections, evidence has emerged of the same people being registered to vote in several places, creating the potential for ballot-rigging.
The observers also noted there was a need to build up voters’ trust in the political system, a reference to the low turnout. Over half of the electorate stayed away on Thursday, with many saying their vote would change nothing.

“This election represents an important stage. We would like to encourage the pursuit of democratic reforms in the near future,” said Tokia Saifi, a member of the European parliament who took part in the observation mission. — Reuters