Commentators reported low turnout Saturday in parts of Algeria, which was holding its first parliamentary elections since a 2019 popular uprising swept away veteran President Abdel Aziz Bouteflika.

Some political parties called on voters to boycott the election, while the government urged them to “fulfill their electoral duty.”

Nevertheless, Mohammed Sharafi, head of Algeria’s Independent Electoral Commission, told journalists late Saturday that turnout “was over 30%” and that “more than 23.5 million voters had cast their ballots. Earlier, Saturday afternoon, Sharafi indicated that turnout was aboutas 10.2% as of 2PM, but he said subsequent reports showed it was picking up.

“Voting results,” he insisted, “are no longer being manipulated, as they once were in previous elections.”

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune told a press conference after casting his ballot that he was hoping to put together a “new Algeria” after the country’s fresh parliament was seated. He said democracy “gives citizens the right to boycott elections” but urged voters to “do their civic duty.”