Mauritania: Ghazouani Wins Presidential Election

In the first democratic transfer of presidential power since independence in 1960, Mauritania has elected government candidate, Mohamed Cheikh El-Ghazouani, as the country’s president.

Receiving more than 52% of the vote, Ghazouani – a close ally of outgoing President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who served two five-year terms leading the country – was declared the winner of the presidential election by the electoral commission on Sunday morning, 23 June.

Per media reports, the election comes after Abdel Aziz stepped aside from presiding over the country, where domestic slavery is a persistent issue despite being formally abolished in 1981.

Along with three other opposition candidates, anti-slavery campaigner, Biram Dah Abeid – who received 18.52% of the vote – plans to contest the results.

Abeid said: “We are launching an appeal to the Mauritanian people … to resist, within the bounds of the law, this umpteenth coup d’etat against the will of the people.”

The results of the election are expected to be submitted to the constitutional court for validation before Ghazouani can be formally inaugurated as the country’s president at an unspecified date.

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