Ahmad 
The Independent National Election Authority in Mauritania announced the victory of President Mohamed Ould Al-Ghazouani for a second presidential term, obtaining 56.12% of the votes in the elections that took place on Saturday.
President Ghazouani assumed power in the 2019 elections, which witnessed the first peaceful transfer of power between two elected presidents since the independence of Mauritania. In the current elections, he obtained 554,956 votes, far outperforming his competitors.
Representative Biram Dah Abeidi came in second place, with 218,546 votes, followed by Hammadi Sidi Al-Mukhtar, head of the opposition and candidate of the Tawasul Party, who received 126,187 votes.
The elections witnessed the participation of seven candidates and were held in an atmosphere of democratic competition, but they were not without tensions, as Biram Aldah Abeidi rejected the election results, describing them as an “electoral coup” and announced his intention to demand an investigation into the election results.
Following the announcement of the results, Mauritania faced unrest that included riots that included burning tires and disrupting traffic, prompting security authorities to intervene to restore order.
The Electoral Commission confirmed that the turnout rate for the elections amounted to 55.39% of the total registered voters, which reflects the great interest in determining the country’s course in the coming years.
It is noteworthy that Mauritania has witnessed several coups d’état since its independence from France in 1960, and the current period is an opportunity to enhance political stability and achieve progress towards sustainable development.
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