Europe's Energy Needs Mute Criticism of Algeria's Closed Election

Algeria holds parliamentary elections on July 2, 2026, amid a shrinking opposition space. Yet European governments have largely stopped pressing Algiers on civil liberties and political pluralism. The reason: Algeria's gas exports to Italy and Southern Europe have become strategically vital to European energy security since 2022. That leverage has shifted the calculus in Brussels and Southern European capitals, prioritizing energy stability over governance concerns.