Algeria: Khalida Boufedeche becomes first female president of People's National Assembly

Algeria's People's National Assembly elected Front de Liberation Nationale deputy Khalida Boufedeche as its first female president, making her the fourth-ranking state figure.

Key points

• Boufedeche secured 302 out of 366 votes in a secret ballot, defeating candidates from the Mouvement de la Societe pour la Paix and the Rassemblement pour la Culture et la Democratie.
• The Front de Liberation Nationale party won 91 of the 407 seats in the July 2 legislative elections, which saw a record low voter turnout of 21.24 percent.
• A 44-year-old clinical immunology and allergy physician, Boufedeche is the first woman to lead the lower house of parliament since its establishment.

Why it matters

This election marks a historic milestone for gender representation in Algerian state leadership, positioning a woman at the head of the country's lower house of parliament for the first time.