Algerian parliament elects first female speaker

In a historic first, Algeria's parliament has elected a woman as its speaker. Khalida Boufedeche, 44, representing the National Liberation Front (FLN), secured the position on Tuesday evening, making her the fourth-highest-ranking official in the North African nation.

The FLN emerged as the largest party in the parliamentary elections held in early July, securing 91 out of 407 seats. However, the election itself saw the lowest voter turnout in Algeria's history, with only 21% of eligible voters participating.

Boufedeche takes the helm of a parliament where women are notably outnumbered by their male colleagues. Currently, only 25 out of the 407 members are women, representing just 6.1% of the parliamentary body. This statistic underscores the ongoing challenge of gender representation in Algerian politics, even with this significant milestone in leadership.