Democratic Change of Power in Mauritania | News Africa | '
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani (article) has declared himself the winner of the presidential election in Mauritania after counting 80 percent of the votes. "Only 20 percent is missing, but that will not change the bottom line," he said in the presence of former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. First official election results are expected only at the beginning of next week.
Opposition complains of irregularities
According to the National Electoral Commission Ghazouani was after counting 80 percent of the votes cast just over 50 percent. The former chief of staff was after a campaign in which he had promised above all safety and continuity, as a clear favorite. Behind him, therefore, the opposition candidates Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar and Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid landed each with about 18 percent.
Four of the opposing candidates had complained of irregularities in the voting and the expulsion of opposition observers from some polling stations on Saturday afternoon. Even before the election, the opposition had warned against electoral fraud and criticized the National Electoral Commission as partisan. Foreign election observers were not admitted.
A voter in the capital Nouakchott, where almost a quarter of the population lives
Boubacar was the toughest competitor in the election campaign; he himself was Prime Minister of the four-million-inhabitant state on the edge of the Sahara prior to a coup in 2008. He was supported by several opposition parties, including the Islamist Tewassoul party.
For a long time a democratic change of power
In the 2008 military coup, outgoing President Aziz came to power. He had been confirmed in elections in 2009 and 2014. This year, much to the surprise of many observers, he stuck to the constitutional cap on two terms and renounced his resignation. Instead, he built Ghazouani as successor.
"On the road to peace and prosperity with Ghazouani" says this election poster in the capital Nouakchott
The West African country has experienced numerous violent changes of power since independence in 1960. Between 1978 and 1984 in particular, some military coups, revolts and constitutional changes occurred. Afterwards, President Maawiya Ould forced Sid'Ahmed Taya into a prolonged phase of power using repressive and authoritarian methods, before he was deposed by the military in 2005. Mauritania is classified as "not free" by the US-based Freedom House; in the Transparency International Corruption Index, the country ranks 143rd out of 180.
ehl / ml (afp, rtr, Munzinger)
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