Algerian parliament elects Khalida Boufedeche its first woman speaker

Algeria's parliament elected its first ever woman speaker on Tuesday evening, making Khalida Boufedeche the fourth-highest ranking official in the country.

Boufedeche, an allergist by training who represents the capital Algiers, is a member of the National Liberation Front (FLN), the historic party of Algerian independence and allied with the current government.

The FLN was the biggest winner in parliamentary elections earlier this month, securing 91 of the body's 407 seats.

The vote was marked by the lowest turnout ever, at 21 percent.

Boufedeche is a member of her party's central committee, and had served in local politics before entering parliament.

She assumes the speakership of a body where women are significantly underrepresented, holding just 25 seats, or six percent of the total.

The previous parliament had 38 women members, and the one before that had 118 following 2017 elections which were held under a quota system.