In Mauritania, polling stations for the presidential election closed across the country at the end of the day on Saturday to make way for the counting.
In total, 1,939,342 voters spread across 5,400 polling stations were called upon to elect their President of the Republic for the next five years. According to the electoral commission, the provisional participation rate was 40% two hours before the end of voting operations.
No major incidents have been reported in the country even if some candidates have denounced intimidation of their representatives in certain polling stations. The provisional results should be officially announced during the day of this Sunday or Monday. Seven candidates are vying for the position.
Mohamed Cheikh El Ghazouani, the outgoing president. Mohamed Lemine El Mourtaji El Wafi. Hamadi Sidi El Mokhtar Mohamed Abdi, the president of the Islamist party Tewassoul, the main opposition force in the National Assembly. Outouma Antoine Souleymane Soumaré. Mamadou Bocar Ba, from the AJD/MR (Alliance for Justice and Democracy) party. El Id Mohamedan M’bareck. Biram Dah Abeid, second in the last two presidential elections.
The government has set up a national observatory to monitor the election, with 600 observers deployed across the country, but the opposition questions their impartiality. The African Union has sent 27 short-term observers.
