Algeria will hold local elections on Thursday (November 29th). With 52 parties and lists competing for 1,541 municipal and 48 regional assembly seats, turnout is considered a key issue in the poll, AFP reported.

Abdelaziz Belkhadem, the National Liberation Front (FLN) secretary-general and former prime minister, expressed confidence that the party would repeat its "overwhelming" victory from the legislative poll earlier this year.

In Kabylie, voter "mobilisation remains strong, so fraud will be minimal", opposition Socialist Forces Front (FFS) official Ali Laskri said.

The national commission overseeing the elections on Monday said it had received 600 referrals since the registration of candidates began, including "minor offences" relating to the use of violence during campaigning.

It said 356 of the referrals were "justified" and 30 them had been transferred to the public prosecutor.