Ruling coalition wins Algerian parliamentary election

The Algerian government says the ruling National Liberation Front (FNL) and its coalition ally won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections marked by a low turnout.

The interior Ministry says about 38 per cent of 20 million eligible to vote actually cast ballots.

Interior Minister Noureddine Bedoui told a press conference that FLN, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's party, won 164 of the 462 seats in the lower house of parliament.

Former Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia's Rassemblement National Democratique - FLN's coalition ally - finished second with 97 seats.

The Islamist party, Movement for the Society of Peace (MSP), joined forces with the Front for Change, securing 33 seats.