MONDAY, 2.30PM
THE OAU observer mission has said the Algerian poll last week was conducted quietly and calmly and the 70 members of the team are satisfied they were generally fair.
Turnout at the polls reached 65,4%, despite boycott calls by militant Muslim opponents of the poll, and victory went to the National Democratic Rally with 155 out of 380 seats. The party is widely considered the creation of President Liamine Zeroual, and included some of his ministers among its candidates.
Second place went to the moderate Muslim party the The Movement for an Islamic Society (formally Hamas) with 69 seats. Led by Sheikh Mahfoud Nahnah, it represents an urban middle class constituency. Nahnah’s group were quick to declare the polls unfair, as did the party that came third, AL-Nahda.