Polls closed in Algeria, where voters were deciding whether to grant army-backed President Abdelmadjid Tebboune another term five years after pro-democracy protests prompted the military to oust the previous president after two decades in power. Since Algeria announced the election date earlier this year, there has been little suspense about the result. Though he is expected to be named the winner once the results are finalised, military-backed President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said on Saturday after voting that he hoped “whoever wins will continue on the path towards a point of no return in the construction of democracy”. Rather than who wins, the question is how many voters will stay home. Tebboune’s backers and challengers have all urged voters to come out to cast their ballots after boycotts and high abstention rates in previous elections marred the government’s ability to claim popular support. But throughout the day, many polling places in Algiers sat mostly empty, apart from scores of police officers manning their posts. Voters weren’t queuing outside in the summer heat waiting to cast their ballots. …