The Algerian presidency reduced the number of parliament seats to 407 from 462 in bid to reduce public spending.
On Tuesday, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune issued an order specifying the electoral districts and the number of parliamentary seats for the elections of the National People's Assembly (lower chamber) with 407 seats, and the elected members of the Council of the Nation (upper chamber) with 116 seats, in accordance with the provisions of the electoral law.
Seats of each electoral district are determined according to the population, while the Algerian diaspora has eight seats, and the capital has 34 seats.
As for the election of members of the Council of the Nation, the electoral district is determined by the territorial boundaries of each state, with each district having two seats
In February, Tebboune dissolved the lower house of the parliament and called for early elections, claiming it comes in response to the demands of the popular movement.
However, Hirak activists rejected this claim in their weekly demonstrations and continued to call for "radical and sweeping" changes of the ruling system.
Political parties are divided between those supporting the elections, and others rejecting them, especially after the presidency announced that two civil society blocs will prepare the electoral lists.
This suggests the president’s intention to rely on activists of associations and organizations, instead of political activists, to support his policies in the new parliament.
