Mauritania: Voters go to the polls to elect their president

Hibapress

this Friday, signaling the beginning of the electoral silence in the run-up to the June 29 vote which will put seven candidates in the running, including the outgoing President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani.

More than 1.9 million voters are expected at the polls this Saturday to nominate their President, in polling stations spread across the regions of Mauritania, in addition to citizens established in certain countries abroad, having obtained the right to vote under the amendments to the electoral law.

In addition to current President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, the list of candidates who will run for president includes Mohamed Lemine El Mourtaja El Wavi (independent candidate), Hamadi Sidi El Mokhtar Mohamed Abdi (president of the National Rally for Reform and Development Tawassoul), Otouma Antoine Souleimane Soumaré (independent candidate), Mamadou Bocar Bâ (president of the Alliance for Justice and Democracy), El-Id Mohameden M’bareck (deputy), Biram Dah Abeid (human rights activist).

Launched on June 14, the electoral campaign for this Presidential election was punctuated by intense activities of the candidates competing for this election who took over social networks to present their electoral programs and reach the greatest number of voters.

According to observers of the local political scene, this campaign saw a notable use of social networks on the part of presidential candidates to effectively reach the country’s electorate, particularly young people who massively use these platforms.

In parallel with the conduct of the electoral campaign, observers also noted the efforts made to ensure the completion of the electoral process in the best conditions, with integrity and transparency.

In this regard, the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) expressed its satisfaction with the good conduct of the candidates and the conditions in which the electoral campaign is taking place.

“The electoral commission is fully prepared for polling day on June 29,” indicated the official spokesperson for the CENI, Mohamed Takioullah El-Edhema, emphasizing the mobilization of the necessary logistical resources in the different wilayas, as well as in the eight countries where voting is planned for Mauritanian communities abroad.

The last presidential election in Mauritania, held in 2019, was won by incumbent President Ould El Ghazouani after obtaining 52% of the vote.