Algeria to Hike Number of Parliamentary Seats

Algeria Tuesday said parliamentary seats would be increased from 389 to 462 in the general election to be held in May.

The decision was announced following a cabinet meeting headed by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

The move was taken both to better reflect the increase in population, which reached 34.8 million in 2008, and to help increase the number of women represented in parliament, the government said.

The election will be the fourth multiparty parliamentary vote in Algeria, which last went to the polls in 2007.