Nouakchott : Mauritanians are voting in the presidential election today. President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani is facing six opponents in the election.
Ghazouani, a former high-ranking military officer, vows to increase investments to drive a commodities boom in the country of 5 million people, where many live in poverty despite abundant fossil fuel and mineral resources.
First elected in 2019, Ghazouani is expected to win due to the ruling party’s dominance. His opponents include anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who came second in 2019 with over 18 percent of the vote, Lawyer Id Mohameden M’Bareck, Economist Mohamed Lemine El Mourtaji El Wafi, and Hamadi Sidi El Mokhtar from the Islamist Tewassoul party.
Around 2 million people have registered to vote, with key issues being corruption and job creation for young people. If re-elected, Ghazouani has promised to build a gas-fired power plant and invest in renewable energy, gold, uranium, and iron ore mining.
Ghazouani has maintained relative stability since 2019, in Mauritania, unlike neighbouring Sahel countries facing Islamist insurgencies. He had effectively managed Islamist threats and has not seen militant attacks in recent years.
Prominent activist opponents like Abeid challenge Ghazouani on his human rights record and the marginalization of Mauritania’s Black African population. El Mokhtar has support from conservative and religious voters. Experts believes that Ghazouani will likely win a second term, possibly in the first round. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a second round will be held.
Opposition supporters suggested that Ghazouani might struggle to win outright “if the votes are conducted transparently.”
In the last election, some opposition candidates questioned the credibility of the vote, resulting in some small-scale protests. Voting began at 7:00 am GMT and ends at 7:00 pm GMT.
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