Algeria election gets low turnout amid opposition boycott

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algerians voted for a new parliament in an election with a majority of novice independent candidates running under new rules meant to erase political corruption and open the way to a “new Algeria.” But the turnout for the first legislative election since the gas-rich North African nation’s longtime president was forced to resign two years ago was dismal. While the polls were still open on Saturday, Algeria’s electoral authority said that less than 14.5% of the country’s 24 million voters had cast ballots. Some regions had voter turnout under 1%. Some voting stations were vandalized, and scuffles between residents and police were reported in some towns in the Kabylie region.