Source: Seattle Times
“Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani will be reelected, provisional results from all polling stations showed on Sunday, after positioning the country as a strategic ally of the West in a region swept by coups and violence. Ghazouani, who campaigned on a pledge of providing security and economic growth, obtained 56.1% of votes, the country’s independent electoral commission said late on Saturday. His main rival, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, received 22.1% of votes, but earlier on Sunday rejected the results, alleging fraud. The country’s constitutional court is now expected to review the results to announce the final outcome of the election, but it remained unclear when it would happen. The turnout was 54% of the two million eligible voters, the commission said.” (07/01/24)