Mauritania’s Presidential Election: A Race to Watch
On June 29, voters in Mauritania will head to the polls to elect a new president in a race that has drawn seven candidates, including the incumbent Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani. With 1.9 million registered voters in a country of 4.5 million people, the stakes are high.
Biram Dah Abeid, a human rights activist and anti-slavery campaigner, is a strong challenger to the incumbent. Another contender, Hamadi Ould Sid’ El Moctar, aims to end corruption and develop the country’s natural resources.
In 2019, Ghazouani won the presidential election with 52% of the vote, marking a peaceful transfer of power for the first time since independence in 1960. The importance of these elections lies in Mauritania’s progress towards democracy and its strategic position in the Sahel region.
Analyst Gilles Yabi predicts a win for Ghazouani due to the advantages of incumbency. The African Union Commission has sent observers to monitor the elections, highlighting their significance on the international stage.