Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, a former general and defense minister, had secured 50.72% of the vote with just over half of the votes counted, the electoral commission data showed on Sunday.

Ghazouani's nearest rival, Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, who is backed by the country's biggest Islamist party, has 18.47% of the vote so far. Biram Dah Abeid, a black slavery campaigner, was third with 18.24%.

Earlier on Sunday, Ghazouani declared himself the winner of the Saturday polls. "There is only 20% left (to count), but that will not change the final result," Ghazouani reportedly told his supporters.

Voters in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania went to the polls on Saturday to elect a new president as Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz prepares to step aside after serving two five-year elected terms.

Some 1.5 million people in the West African state were entitled to vote in the presidential election.

Economic issues dominated the election campaign, with the outgoing president largely credited with stabilizing the country after seizing power in a 2008 coup. Abdel Aziz was later elected as president in 2009 and 2014 in a vote boycotted by the main opposition parties.

Abdel Aziz has backed Ghazouani, who is heavily tipped to win the presidential election.

Located on the northwest African coast, Mauritania gained independence from French rule in 1960 but non-elected military governments largely ruled the country in the decades which followed.

Gilles Yabi, the founder of West African think tank WATHI, told Reuters that if Ghazouani secured a victory, he would probably carry forward his predecessor's policies but added: "Ghazouani is someone who is very discreet. It could well happen that the change is not merely cosmetic," Yabi said.

Ghazouani once headed the country's domestic security service and was chief of staff to Abdel Aziz from 2008 to 2018.

The favored candidate campaigned on themes of continuity, solidarity and security.

"There are only two choices — either going backwards, towards extremism, waste and instability, or your candidate, who will continue what has been achieved to build a stable and developed state," the 62-year-old told his supporters on Thursday.

Ghazouani's main challenger Boubacar, who was prime minister between 1992 and 1996 and head of a transitional government between 2005 and 2007.

Boubacar is hoping to win enough votes to push the election to a July 6 runoff.

According to a poll conducted by the Mauritanian Center for Strategic Studies and Research (CMERS), nearly 30% people favored Ghazouani while 23% said they would vote for Boubacar.

A Western ally, Mauritania had been in the grip of extremist violence until recently. In the past few years, the government has been able to bring down the levels of conflict.

Al-Qaida documents seized from Osama bin Laden's hideout in the Pakistani city of Abottabad indicated that the Islamist group had discussed a possible peace deal with Mauritanian authorities in 2010, a year prior to bin Laden's killing by US forces.

Authorities deny that such a deal existed and claimed that intelligence work and rehabilitation of imprisoned jihadists caused a decline in Islamist attacks.

Read more: Mauritania journalist sentenced to death for apostasy

Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here. </s> NOUAKCHOTT - Mauritanian voters went to the polls Saturday in the country’s first election without an incumbent presidential candidate since the 2008 coup.

Polling stations closed at 7 p.m. across the Sahara Desert nation, and preliminary results are expected late in the evening.

Though voters were mobilized for these elections, seen as significant in the country’s democratic history, many are wary that the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), which earlier this year refused appeals to employ foreign observers, may not hold fair elections.

American embassy staff were among those in Nouakchott surveying polling stations across the capital.

“We’ve got 10 teams who have been out ever since the polls opened at 7 this morning, doing observations in various polling stations throughout the city,” U.S. Ambassador to Mauritania Michael Dodman told VOA.

“We’ll wait and see what the results are, we’ll wait and see what the experts … have to say. And we just hope that it all moves forward peacefully, quickly, and that this transfer of power really is a positive step for Mauritanian democracy,” he added.

Along with American embassy staff, local observers went to polling stations across the capital Saturday.

Local lawyer Fatimata M’Baye told VOA that she noticed some irregularities, namely that some voters were turned away and were told they needed to provide their voter registration number and not just an identification. M’Baye says that these numbers are only available online, and some people were unable to retrieve them in time to vote.

“I think these are questions that should have been addressed before election day,” M’Baye said, adding that she thinks the issue is more negligence by the CENI as opposed to obstruction.

“I think that in the future, the CENI needs to be much better prepared to allow the Mauritanian people to vote in peace,” she said.

According to a Gallup poll, 64% of Mauritanians do not have faith in the honesty of the elections.

When asked who they believe will win the election, many voters VOA spoke with in Nouakchott preceded their answer with “If the state doesn’t cheat. ..."

President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is stepping down, as is mandated by the constitution, after his two five-year terms. His ruling Union for the Republic (UPR) party has put forth former Defense Minister Mohamed Ould Ghazouani as its candidate.

Opposition candidates say that Ghazouani would not affect any change from the last administration -- change they say is desperately needed.

“I think there needs to be a true changeover, because the state today of my country is catastrophic. The economic situation is extremely serious, as are our societal problems,” Sidi Mohammed Ould Boubacar, a former prime minister and leading opposition candidate supported by the Tewassoul party, told VOA.

Boubacar is one of five opposition candidates running to replace the UPR. Other candidates include well-known anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who has promised a national inquiry into the country’s cases of modern slavery.

The country’s last elections in 2014 were heavily criticized for being unfair and were boycotted by many opposition parties. Then-incumbent President Aziz won by 84%.

Mauritania has had five military coups since it gained independence from France in 1960. </s> Mauritanian voters are headed to the polls in the country’s first election without an incumbent presidential candidate since the 2008 coup.

Polling stations opened Saturday at 8am across the Sahara Desert nation and will remain open until 7pm local time.

President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is stepping down, as is mandated by the constitution, after his two five-year terms. His ruling Union for the Republic (UPR) party has put forth former defense minister Mohamed Ould Ghazouani as its candidate.

Opposition candidates say that Ghazouani would not affect any change from the last administration – change they say is desperately needed.

“I think there needs to be a true changeover, because the state today of my country is catastrophic. The economic situation is extremely serious, as are our societal problems,” Sidi Mohammed Ould Boubacar, a former prime minister and leading opposition candidate supported by the Tewassoul party, told VOA.

Boubacar is one of five opposition candidates running to replace the UPR. Other candidates include well-known anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, who has promised a national inquiry into the country’s cases of modern slavery.

Though voters are mobilized by the wide range of candidates, many are wary that the National Electoral Commission, which earlier this year refused appeals to employ foreign observers, may not hold fair elections.

According to a Gallup poll, 64% of Mauritanians do not have faith in the honesty of the elections.

When asked who they believe will win the election, many voters VOA spoke with in Nouakchott preceded their answer with “If the state doesn’t cheat…”.

The country’s last elections in 2014 were heavily criticized for being unfair and were boycotted by many opposition parties. Then-incumbent President Aziz won by 84%.

Mauritania has had five military coups since it gained independence from France in 1960. </s> For the first time since Mauritania's independence, its citizens will vote for a successor to a democratically-elected president, though a government insider campaigning on a message of continuity is tipped to win.

Polls opened at 7am Saturday in the election to replace President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, 62, who since seizing power in a 2008 coup has positioned himself as an ally of the West in the fight against Islamist militants.

Located on the northwest African coast and bordered to the east by the Sahara Desert and south by Senegal, the country of fewer than five million people gained independence from France in 1960.

Abdel Aziz is stepping aside after serving the maximum two five-year elected terms and has thrown his support behind Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, 62, a former general and defence minister.

Abdel Aziz could however maintain influence behind the scenes, and has not ruled out running again in five years when his term limits reset.

Gilles Yabi, founder of West African think tank WATHI, said Ghazouani would likely continue to rule in Abdel Aziz's mould, but could still surprise.

"Ghazouani is someone who is very discreet. It could well happen that the change is not merely cosmetic," Yabi said.

Five candidates besides Ghazouani are on the ballot. Former prime minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, backed by Mauritania's biggest Islamist party, has drawn large crowds on the campaign trail and is considered Ghazouani's rival.

Ghazouani has campaigned on the progress made under Abdel Aziz on economic and security issues. Gross domestic product is growing and will receive a boost when a large offshore gas field starts producing next decade.

Tourists are also starting to return for desert tours after years of staying away following a series of kidnappings in 2009.

In recent years, Mauritania has been spared the attacks by jihadist militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that have devastated other countries in West Africa's Sahel region, including neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso. </s> For the first time since Mauritania’s independence, its citizens voted on Saturday for a successor to a democratically-elected president, though a government insider campaigning on a message of continuity is heavily tipped to win.

Polls opened at 7 am (0700 GMT) in the election to replace President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, 62, who since seizing power in a 2008 coup has positioned himself as an ally of the West in the fight against ISIS extremist group.

Located on the northwest African coast and bordered to the east by the Sahara Desert, the country of fewer than 5 million people gained independence from colonial power France in 1960.

Abdel Aziz is stepping aside after serving the maximum two five-year elected terms and has thrown his support behind 62-year-old Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, a former general and defense minister.

Abdel Aziz could maintain significant influence behind the scenes. He said on Thursday that he had not ruled out running again in five years when his term limits would reset.

In the capital Nouakchott’s wealthy Tevragh Zeina neighborhood, more than 100 voters queued calmly in a dusty school courtyard to cast their ballots.

“I thank God that everything is going well,” said Abderrahime Sidi, 35, after voting. “We hope that the results will be consistent with the expectations of all Mauritanians.”

Gilles Yabi, the founder of West African think tank WATHI, said Ghazouani was the clear favorite and would likely continue to rule in Abdel Aziz’s mould, but that he could still surprise.

“Ghazouani is someone who is very discreet. It could well happen that the change is not merely cosmetic,” Yabi said.

Five candidates besides Ghazouani are on the ballot. Former Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, who is backed by Mauritania’s biggest Islamist party, has drawn large crowds on the campaign trail and is considered Ghazouani’s main rival.

Boubacar and another opposition candidate, Mohamed Ould Maouloud, told reporters at their polling places that they were concerned about potential fraud. They have pointed to the absence of international observers and the printing of ballot papers by a company with ties to the ruling party.

Election authorities said there were no political considerations in awarding the contract.

Ghazouani has campaigned on the progress made under Abdel Aziz on economic and security issues. Gross domestic product is growing and will receive an extra boost when a large offshore gas field starts producing early next decade.

Tourists are also starting to return for desert tours after years of staying away following a series of kidnappings in 2009.

In recent years, Mauritania has been spared the attacks by extremist militants linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS that have devastated other countries in West Africa’s Sahel region, including neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso.

Al-Qaeda documents seized from Osama bin Laden’s Pakistan hideout in 2011 indicated the group’s leaders had discussed a possible peace deal the previous year with Mauritania’s government that would involve prisoner releases and payments.

The government denied any such deal existed and has credited its success preventing extremist attacks to intelligence work and rehabilitation of imprisoned extremists.

“The security and stability of the country must be the priority in choosing the president we need,” Abdel Aziz told reporters after casting his ballot.

The opposition candidates, who include a prominent campaigner against slavery in the country, have tried to tap into dissatisfaction among young people over stagnating salaries and poor health care.

Polls are scheduled to close at 7 pm If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the election will go to a second round next month. </s> Mauritania's ruling party candidate Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, a former general and defense minister, won the country's presidential election with 52% of the vote, the electoral commission announced Sunday,

Ghazouani's nearest rival, prominent anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid came in second with 18.58% of the vote. Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, who is backed by the country's biggest Islamist party, came in third with 17.87%.

As Ghazouani won an absolute majority in the first round of the presidential election, the top two contender’s will not face off in a runoff election.

Earlier on Sunday, Ghazouani declared himself the winner of the Saturday polls. Mauritania's government also declared victory for the former general and congratulated him.

Speaking at a news conference with three other candidates, Boubacar said that "multiple irregularities ... eliminated any credibility" of the election in the West African desert nation.

"We reject the results of the election and we consider that they in no way express the will of the Mauritanian people," he said, vowing that the opposition would use "every legal means" to challenge them.

Opposition candidates had earlier said they would contest the results if the ruling party won the first round of the election outright.

"This seems like a coup d'etat," Abeid said at a press conference, representing himself and the other opposition leaders. "We are united and will lead the contestation [of the results]."

Voters in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania went to the polls on Saturday to elect a new president as Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz prepares to step aside after serving two five-year elected terms.

Some 1.5 million people in the West African state were entitled to vote in the presidential election.

Economic issues dominated the election campaign, with the outgoing president largely credited with stabilizing the country after seizing power in a 2008 coup. Abdel Aziz was later elected as president in 2009 and 2014 in a vote boycotted by the main opposition parties.

Abdel Aziz backed Ghazouani, who was heavily tipped to win the presidential election.

Located on the northwest African coast, Mauritania gained independence from French rule in 1960 but non-elected military governments largely ruled the country in the decades which followed.

Gilles Yabi, the founder of West African think tank WATHI, told Reuters that if Ghazouani secured a victory, he would probably carry forward his predecessor's policies but added: "Ghazouani is someone who is very discreet. It could well happen that the change is not merely cosmetic," Yabi said.

Ghazouani once headed the country's domestic security service and was chief of staff to Abdel Aziz from 2008 to 2018.

The favored candidate campaigned on themes of continuity, solidarity and security.

"There are only two choices — either going backwards, towards extremism, waste and instability, or your candidate, who will continue what has been achieved to build a stable and developed state," the 62-year-old told his supporters on Thursday.

A Western ally, Mauritania had been in the grip of extremist violence until recently. In the past few years, the government has been able to bring down the levels of conflict.

Al-Qaida documents seized from Osama bin Laden's hideout in the Pakistani city of Abottabad indicated that the Islamist group had discussed a possible peace deal with Mauritanian authorities in 2010, a year prior to bin Laden's killing by US forces.

Authorities deny that such a deal existed and claimed that intelligence work and rehabilitation of imprisoned jihadists caused a decline in Islamist attacks.

Read more: Mauritania journalist sentenced to death for apostasy

Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here. </s> Mauritanians took to the polls on Saturday, voting for a successor to President Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, who since seizing power in a 2008 coup positioned himself as an ally of the West in the fight against Islamist militants.

Polls in the Northwest African country opened at 7 a.m. (0700 GMT).

Abdel Aziz is stepping aside after serving the maximum two five-year elected terms and has thrown his support behind Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, 62, a former general and defence minister.

Abdel Aziz could however maintain significant influence behind the scenes. He said on Thursday that he had not ruled out running again in five years when his term limits would reset.

Gilles Yabi, the founder of West African think tank WATHI, said Ghazouani was favoured to win the election and would likely continue to rule in Abdel Aziz’s mould, but that he could still surprise.

“Ghazouani is someone who is very discreet. It could well happen that the change is not merely cosmetic,” Yabi said.

Five other candidates are on the ballot. Former prime minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, who is backed by Mauritania’s biggest Islamist party, has drawn large crowds on the campaign trail and is considered Ghazouani’s main rival.

Ghazouani has campaigned on economic and security progress under Abdel Aziz. The economy is growing and will receive a boost when a large offshore gas field starts producing early next decade.

Tourists are also starting to return for desert tours after years of staying away following a series of kidnappings in 2009.

In recent years, Mauritania has been spared attacks by jihadist militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State that have devastated other countries in West Africa’s Sahel region, including neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso.

Al Qaeda documents seized from Osama bin Laden’s Pakistan hideout in 2011 indicated the group’s leaders had discussed a possible peace deal the previous year with Mauritania’s government that would involve prisoner releases and payments.

Mauritania’s government denied that any such deal existed and has credited its success preventing Islamist attacks to intelligence work and rehabilitation of imprisoned jihadists.

The opposition candidates, who include a prominent campaigner against slavery in the country, have tried to tap into dissatisfaction among young people over stagnating salaries and poor health care.

If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the election will go to a second round next month. </s> Mauritania's ruling party candidate Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, a former general and defense minister, won the country's presidential election with 52% of the vote, the electoral commission announced Sunday.

Ghazouani's nearest rival, prominent anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, came in second with 18.58% of the vote. Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, who is backed by the country's biggest Islamist party, came in third with 17.87%.

As Ghazouani won an absolute majority in the first round of the presidential election, the top two contenders will not face off in a runoff election.

Earlier on Sunday, Ghazouani declared himself the winner of the Saturday polls. Mauritania's government also declared victory for the former general and congratulated him.

Opposition candidates reject results

Speaking at a news conference with three other candidates, Boubacar said that "multiple irregularities ... eliminated any credibility" of the election in the West African desert nation.

"We reject the results of the election and we consider that they in no way express the will of the Mauritanian people," he said, vowing that the opposition would use "every legal means" to challenge them.

Opposition candidates had earlier said they would contest the results if the ruling party won the first round of the election outright.

"This seems like a coup d'etat," Abeid said at a press conference, representing himself and the other opposition leaders. "We are united and will lead the contestation [of the results]."

Watch video 02:00 Share A peaceful transfer of power in Mauritania? Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3KrdN A peaceful transfer of power in Mauritania?

Favored candidate

Voters in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania went to the polls on Saturday to elect a new president as Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz prepares to step aside after serving two five-year elected terms.

Some 1.5 million people in the West African state were entitled to vote in the presidential election.

Economic issues dominated the election campaign, with the outgoing president largely credited with stabilizing the country after seizing power in a 2008 coup. Abdel Aziz was later elected as president in 2009 and 2014 in a vote boycotted by the main opposition parties.

Read more: Mauritania poll returns incumbent as opposition boycotts vote

Abdel Aziz backed Ghazouani, who was heavily tipped to win the presidential election.

Located on the northwest African coast, Mauritania gained independence from French rule in 1960, but unelected military governments largely ruled the country in the decades to follow.

Anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid said he might contest the results

Continuity and security

Gilles Yabi, the founder of the West African think tank WATHI, told Reuters that if Ghazouani secured a victory, he would probably carry forward his predecessor's policies, but Yabi added: "Ghazouani is someone who is very discreet. It could well happen that the change is not merely cosmetic."

Ghazouani once headed the country's domestic security service and was chief of staff to Abdel Aziz from 2008 to 2018.

Read more: Mauritania votes in controversial constitutional referendum

The favored candidate campaigned on themes of continuity, solidarity and security.

"There are only two choices — either going backwards, towards extremism, waste and instability, or your candidate, who will continue what has been achieved to build a stable and developed state," the 62-year-old told his supporters on Thursday.

Decline in attacks

A Western ally, Mauritania had been in the grip of extremist violence until recently. In the past few years, the government has been able to bring down the levels of conflict.

Al-Qaida documents seized from Osama bin Laden's hideout in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad indicated that the Islamist group had discussed a possible peace deal with Mauritanian authorities in 2010, a year prior to bin Laden's killing by US forces.

Authorities denied that such a deal existed and claimed that intelligence work and the rehabilitation of imprisoned jihadis caused a decline in Islamist attacks.

Read more: Mauritania journalist sentenced to death for apostasy

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Born into bondage Schweda was born a slave in Mauritania's north-eastern Sahara along with her brother, Matallah. Overcoming virtually insurmountable odds, Matallah succeeded in freeing her and her nine children from slavery in March 2013.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Gritty capital Twenty-five years of drought have transformed Mauritania from a nomadic to an urban society. The transition has not been easy, and with an unemployment rate of 40 percent, many Mauritanians survive on less than one dollar a day.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Making do Shantytowns have sprung up on the outskirts of Nouakchott, where many former slaves, and those who left the drought-ridden countryside in search of opportunity, build homes from scrap metal and other found items.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Nationwide repression Slavery in Mauritania is not unique to the countryside. Mbarka was born into slavery and lived her life serving a wealthy family in Nouakchott. She was freed in 2011 with the assistance of well-known anti-slavery activist Biram Abeid and IRA, the abolitionist organization he leads.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Bringing freedom Messaoud Boubacar (left) of the anti-slavery NGO SOS Esclaves was instrumental in the freeing of Matallah (right) and the subsequent liberation of his sister and her nine children. Both are members of a 'slave caste,' known as the Hratine, and are descended from black African ethnic groups along the Senegal River who were subjugated by white Arab Berbers.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion 'Slave caste' The Hratine often suffer from discrimination as they are at the very bottom of the social and economic ladder. There are no reliable figures for the number of Hratine. Human rights groups estimate that 10 to 20 percent of Mauritania's 3.5 million people are slaves.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Fatherless society "In slavery fathers are irrelevant, their presence is not a factor," says Massaoud Boubacar of SOS Esclaves. "There is no role for the father, because the master owns the women, and when the women give birth the master owns the children, which he might sell or do with as he pleases."

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Seeking justice Eleven year-old Yarg (right) is one of the very few former slaves in Mauritania to have successfully had his former master convicted for the crimes committed against him. The man was sentenced to two years in prison for a crime that should have resulted in a five-to 10-year-minimum sentence.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Poverty gap Mauritania is one of the richest countries in West Africa in terms of fish stocks and mineral wealth, but the riches earned from these resources have not been shared by the general populace.

In Mauritania, slavery's last bastion Struggle for survival Matallah's family - here his wife and child - live in grinding poverty, like many Hratine and former slaves. Despite the challenges, they have retained their dignity and an uncommon positivity that a brighter future may be in store for them. Author: Robert Asher and Safa Faki, Nouakchott



rs,shs/jm (Reuters, AFP)

Every evening, DW sends out a selection of the day's news and features. Sign up here. </s> Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, government candidate and frontrunner, has claimed victory in the first round of Mauritania’s presidential election.

The 62-year-old former head of the domestic security service made the claim in the early hours of Sunday in the presence of current president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, his supporters and journalists.

A source at the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) said Ghazouani had won 50.56 percent of the votes after 80 percent of the votes had been counted following Saturday’s election.

“There is only 20 percent left (to count), but that will not change the final result,” Ghazouani reportedly told supporters.

The CENI source said leading opposition candidates Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, a former prime minister, and Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid had each garnered about 18 percent with the count continuing.

Both men had complained of balloting irregularities and the expulsion of representatives from some polling stations. However CENI said no major problems had been reported.

Ghazouani — who campaigned on the themes of continuity, solidarity and security for the vast largely desert nation — served as Abdel Aziz’s chief of staff from 2008 to last year.

The outgoing president is a general who originally came to power in a 2008 coup, won elections a year later and was again elected in 2014 in polls boycotted by the opposition.

The ballot is the first in Mauritania’s coup-strewn history that looks set to see an elected president complete his mandate and transfer power to an elected successor, but the opposition has raised concerns that it could perpetuate a government dominated by military figures.
Voters in Mauritania head to the polls to elect a new president. The election would be the country's first democratic transition of power, as incumbent president Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz prepares to step down after having served two terms.