NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) - Mauritanians have voted to abolish their Senate and alter their national flag by referendum, the electoral commission announced on Sunday (Aug 6), in a clear victory for President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz the day after the vote.

While turnout was 53.73 per cent, 85 per cent of voters on Saturday declared "Yes" to changes put to a referendum when they were defeated in the Senate in March, despite fierce criticism from a boycott movement that called mass protests during campaigning.

The boycott movement drew broad political support from figures as diverse as religious conservatives and anti-slavery activists.

Members of opposition parties spearheading the boycotters held a press conference on Sunday during which they denounced an "electoral farce which has given way to open-air fraud", adding that people "had clearly rejected the constitutional amendments".

They said they would not recognise the results of the referendum, having previously claimed the government would rig the vote.

The most contentious issue surrounding the vote, given that just one opposition party campaigned for "No" while the boycott campaign attracted several parties and civil society movements, was the turnout.

Turnout was just 36 per cent in the capital, Nouakchott, but was much higher in the remote west African nation's rural areas, at times hitting 80 per cent, the electoral commission said.

The boycott movement held several protests attracting thousands of supporters, but were also prevented from demonstrating by the security forces, who on Thursday shut down several planned rallies close to the capital with tear gas and beat protesters back with batons.

The UN Human Rights Office said on Thursday that "protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested" during campaign rallies in the last few weeks, urging the government to ensure fair and credible elections.

Around 1.4 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote and celebrations were expected from the select opposition parties that did support the revision.

The opposition groups opposed to the measure say they are concerned that, despite President Aziz's claims to the contrary, he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power - with his own prime minister saying in July that he supported the idea.

Mr Aziz himself fuelled speculation on Saturday by saying that "in two years, or even 10 years, other amendments could arise to adapt our Constitution to reality", without elaborating.

The proposal to modify the Constitution, in force since 1991, was rejected by the Senate in March, leading Mr Aziz to call the referendum to push through the changes.

About 20 senators, who have held a sit-in for three days at their chamber, suspended their protest and said they would gather on Monday to consider the "fraud" committed by Mr Aziz and his supporters, according to a statement.

President Aziz came to power in a coup in 2008 and was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

The Mauritanian flag will now feature red bands added to the current green flag with yellow Islamic crescent and star to honour the blood spilt by those who fought for freedom from colonial master France.</s>Despite a boycott movement that called mass protests during campaigning, 85 percent of voters sided with the changes.

Mauritanians have voted to abolish their senate and alter their national flag by referendum, the electoral commission announced on Sunday, in a clear victory for President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz the day after the vote.

While turnout was 53.73 percent, 85 percent of voters on Saturday declared "Yes" to changes put to a referendum when they were defeated in the senate in March, despite fierce criticism from a boycott movement that called mass protests during campaigning.

Abdel Aziz, who last week described the senate as "useless and too costly," has said the move to abolish the governing body would improve governance by introducing more local forms of lawmaking.

But the boycott movement drew broad political support from figures as diverse as religious conservatives and anti-slavery activists.

Members of opposition parties spearheading the boycotters held a press conference on Sunday during which they denounced an "electoral farce which has given way to open-air fraud," adding that people "had clearly rejected the constitutional amendments."

They said they would not recognise the results of the referendum, having previously claimed the government would rig the vote.

The most contentious issue surrounding the vote, given that just one opposition party campaigned for "No" while the boycott campaign attracted several parties and civil society movements, was the turnout.

Turnout was just 36 percent in the capital, Nouakchott, but was much higher in the remote west African nation's rural areas, at times hitting 80 percent, the electoral commission said.

The boycott movement held several protests attracting thousands of supporters, but were also prevented from demonstrating by the security forces, who on Thursday shut down several planned rallies close to the capital with tear gas and beat protesters back with batons.

The UN Human Rights Office said on Thursday that "protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested" during campaign rallies in the last few weeks, urging the government to ensure fair and credible elections.

Around 1.4 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote, and celebrations were expected from the select opposition parties that did support the revision.

The opposition groups opposed to the measure say they are concerned that, despite Aziz's claims to the contrary, he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power - with his own prime minister saying back in July that he supported the idea.

Scrapping term limits would enable Abdel Aziz to follow leaders of more than a dozen other African countries including in Uganda, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and more recently Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Aziz himself fuelled speculation on Saturday by saying that "in two years, or even 10 years other amendments could arise to adapt our constitution to reality," without elaborating.

The proposal to modify the constitution, in force since 1991, was rejected by the senate in March, leading Aziz to call the referendum to push through the changes.

Around 20 senators, who have held a sit-in for three days at their chamber, suspended their protest and said they would gather on Monday to consider the "fraud" committed by Aziz and his supporters, according to a statement.

President Aziz came to power in a coup in 2008 and was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

The Mauritanian flag will now feature red bands added to the current green flag with yellow Islamic crescent and star, to honour the blood spilt by those who fought for freedom from colonial master France.</s>Nouakchott (AFP) - Mauritanians have voted to abolish their Senate and alter their national flag by referendum, the electoral commission announced Sunday, in a clear victory for President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz the day after the vote.

While turnout was 53.73 percent, 85 percent of voters on Saturday declared "Yes" to changes put to a referendum when they were defeated in the Senate in March, despite fierce criticism from a boycott movement that called mass protests during campaigning.

The boycott movement drew broad political support from figures as diverse as religious conservatives and anti-slavery activists.

Members of opposition parties spearheading the boycotters held a press conference on Sunday during which they denounced an "electoral farce which has given way to open-air fraud," adding that people "had clearly rejected the constitutional amendments."

They said they would not recognise the results of the referendum, having previously claimed the government would rig the vote.

The most contentious issue surrounding the vote, given that just one opposition party campaigned for "No" while the boycott campaign attracted several parties and civil society movements, was the turnout.

Turnout was just 36 percent in the capital, Nouakchott, but was much higher in the remote west African nation's rural areas, at times hitting 80 percent, the electoral commission said.

The boycott movement held several protests attracting thousands of supporters, but were also prevented from demonstrating by the security forces, who on Thursday shut down several planned rallies close to the capital with tear gas and beat protesters back with batons.

The UN Human Rights Office said Thursday that "protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested" during campaign rallies in the last few weeks, urging the government to ensure fair and credible elections.

Around 1.4 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote, and celebrations were expected from the select opposition parties that did support the revision.

The opposition groups opposed to the measure say they are concerned that, despite Aziz's claims to the contrary, he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power -- with his own prime minister saying back in July that he supported the idea.

Aziz himself fuelled speculation on Saturday by saying that "in two years, or even 10 years other amendments could arise to adapt our constitution to reality," without elaborating.

The proposal to modify the constitution, in force since 1991, was rejected by the Senate in March, leading Aziz to call the referendum to push through the changes.

Around 20 Senators, who have held a sit-in for three days at their chamber, suspended their protest and said they would gather Monday to consider the "fraud" committed by Aziz and his supporters, according to a statement.

President Aziz came to power in a coup in 2008 and was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

The Mauritanian flag will now feature red bands added to the current green flag with yellow Islamic crescent and star, to honour the blood spilt by those who fought for freedom from colonial master France.</s>While turnout was 53.73 percent, 85 percent of voters on Saturday declared “Yes” to changes put to a referendum when they were defeated in the Senate in March, despite fierce criticism from a boycott movement that called mass protests during campaigning.

The boycott movement drew broad political support from figures as diverse as religious conservatives and anti-slavery activists.

Members of opposition parties spearheading the boycotters held a press conference on Sunday during which they denounced an “electoral farce which has given way to open-air fraud,” adding that people “had clearly rejected the constitutional amendments.”

They said they would not recognise the results of the referendum, having previously claimed the government would rig the vote.

The most contentious issue surrounding the vote, given that just one opposition party campaigned for “No” while the boycott campaign attracted several parties and civil society movements, was the turnout.

Turnout was just 36 percent in the capital, Nouakchott, but was much higher in the remote west African nation’s rural areas, at times hitting 80 percent, the electoral commission said.

The boycott movement held several protests attracting thousands of supporters, but were also prevented from demonstrating by the security forces, who on Thursday shut down several planned rallies close to the capital with tear gas and beat protesters back with batons.

The UN Human Rights Office said Thursday that “protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested” during campaign rallies in the last few weeks, urging the government to ensure fair and credible elections.

Around 1.4 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote, and celebrations were expected from the select opposition parties that did support the revision.

The opposition groups opposed to the measure say they are concerned that, despite Aziz’s claims to the contrary, he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power — with his own prime minister saying back in July that he supported the idea.

Aziz himself fuelled speculation on Saturday by saying that “in two years, or even 10 years other amendments could arise to adapt our constitution to reality,” without elaborating.

The proposal to modify the constitution, in force since 1991, was rejected by the Senate in March, leading Aziz to call the referendum to push through the changes.

Around 20 Senators, who have held a sit-in for three days at their chamber, suspended their protest and said they would gather Monday to consider the “fraud” committed by Aziz and his supporters, according to a statement.

President Aziz came to power in a coup in 2008 and was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

The Mauritanian flag will now feature red bands added to the current green flag with yellow Islamic crescent and star, to honour the blood spilt by those who fought for freedom from colonial master France.</s>Mauritanians have voted to abolish their Senate and alter their national flag by referendum, the electoral commission announced, in a clear victory for President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz the day after the vote.

While turnout was 53.73 per cent, 85 percent of voters on Saturday declared “Yes” to changes put to a referendum when they were defeated in the Senate in March, despite fierce criticism from a boycott movement that called mass protests during campaigning.

The boycott movement drew broad political support from figures as diverse as religious conservatives and anti-slavery activists. Members of opposition parties spearheading the boycotters held a press conference on Sunday during which they denounced an “electoral farce which has given way to open-air fraud,” adding that people “had clearly rejected the constitutional amendments.”

They said they would not recognise the results of the referendum, having previously claimed the government would rig the vote. The most contentious issue surrounding the vote, given that just one opposition party campaigned for “No” while the boycott campaign attracted several parties and civil society movements, was the turnout. Turnout was just 36 per cent in the capital, Nouakchott, but was much higher in the remote west African nation’s rural areas, at times hitting 80 percent, the electoral commission said.

The boycott movement held several protests attracting thousands of supporters, but were also prevented from demonstrating by the security forces, who on Thursday shut down several planned rallies close to the capital with tear gas and beat protesters back with batons.

The UN Human Rights Office said Thursday that “protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested” during campaign rallies in the last few weeks, urging the government to ensure fair and credible elections.

Around 1.4 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote, and celebrations were expected from the select opposition parties that did support the revision. The opposition groups opposed to the measure say they are concerned that, despite Aziz’s claims to the contrary, he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power — with his own prime minister saying back in July that he supported the idea.

Aziz himself fuelled speculation on Saturday by saying that “in two years, or even 10 years other amendments could arise to adapt our constitution to reality,” without elaborating. The proposal to modify the constitution, in force since 1991, was rejected by the Senate in March, leading Aziz to call the referendum to push through the changes.

Around 20 Senators, who have held a sit-in for three days at their chamber, suspended their protest and said they would gather Monday to consider the “fraud” committed by Aziz and his supporters, according to a statement.

President Aziz came to power in a coup in 2008 and was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term. The Mauritanian flag will now feature red bands added to the current green flag with yellow Islamic crescent and star, to honour the blood spilt by those who fought for freedom from colonial master France.

For all the latest World News, download Indian Express App</s>Campaigning has ended in Mauritania, a day before voters head to the polls to decide on controversial constitutional reforms.

The referendum, called for by President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, seeks to abolish the senate and change the country's flag, among other changes.

Aziz contends that the changes are needed to make the government stronger, but opposition parties argue that if implemented, the changes will give the president sweeping powers and the government will slide towards dictatorship.

“When a leader violates the contract he has with the people and he wants to stay against the will of the people, this opens the door for more disturbance,” Mohamed Jamil Mansour, president of the coalition forum, told Al Jazeera's Rob Matheson.

READ MORE: Mauritania jails 13 anti-slavery activists

The opposition fears that if the senate is disbanded, the president will try to remain in control for a third five-year term, which he cannot do under the current constitution.

"While he thinks of another term in office, there's a risk of disturbance," Mansour said.

But Aziz has said that extending his rule is not why he called for the referendum.

"Lots of lies have been told to you," he said at a rally of pro-reform supporters.

"You have been told that the president is doing this to stay in power for third team. All of this is lies. It's lies."

Suppression of dissent

Aziz called for the referendum after the senate rejected the proposed changes in March, an apparent surprise to the president whose party maintains the majority.

Opposition parties have held several protests against the constitutional changes in advance of Saturday's vote.

On Thursday, the UN human rights office expressed concern over the ongoing unrest in Mauritania and the "apparent suppression of dissenting voices and the reported use of excessive force by the authorities against protest leaders".

Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the Office of the UN Commissioners for Human Rights, said that "the authorities reportedly did not respond to the majority of requests for authorisation for the protests and actively dispersed gatherings".

She said that in "several cases, protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested".</s>Mauritanians have voted to abolish their Senate and alter their national flag by referendum, the electoral commission announced Sunday, in a clear victory for President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz the day after the vote.

While turnout was 53.73 percent, 85 percent of voters on Saturday declared "Yes" to changes put to a referendum when they were defeated in the Senate in March, despite fierce criticism from a boycott movement that called mass protests during campaigning.

The boycott movement drew broad political support from figures as diverse as religious conservatives and anti-slavery activists.

Members of opposition parties spearheading the boycotters held a press conference on Sunday during which they denounced an "electoral farce which has given way to open-air fraud," adding that people "had clearly rejected the constitutional amendments."

They said they would not recognise the results of the referendum, having previously claimed the government would rig the vote.

The most contentious issue surrounding the vote, given that just one opposition party campaigned for "No" while the boycott campaign attracted several parties and civil society movements, was the turnout.

Turnout was just 36 percent in the capital, Nouakchott, but was much higher in the remote west African nation's rural areas, at times hitting 80 percent, the electoral commission said.

The boycott movement held several protests attracting thousands of supporters, but were also prevented from demonstrating by the security forces, who on Thursday shut down several planned rallies close to the capital with tear gas and beat protesters back with batons.

The UN Human Rights Office said Thursday that "protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested" during campaign rallies in the last few weeks, urging the government to ensure fair and credible elections.

Around 1.4 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote, and celebrations were expected from the select opposition parties that did support the revision.

The opposition groups opposed to the measure say they are concerned that, despite Aziz's claims to the contrary, he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power -- with his own prime minister saying back in July that he supported the idea.

Aziz himself fuelled speculation on Saturday by saying that "in two years, or even 10 years other amendments could arise to adapt our constitution to reality," without elaborating.

The proposal to modify the constitution, in force since 1991, was rejected by the Senate in March, leading Aziz to call the referendum to push through the changes.

Around 20 Senators, who have held a sit-in for three days at their chamber, suspended their protest and said they would gather Monday to consider the "fraud" committed by Aziz and his supporters, according to a statement.

President Aziz came to power in a coup in 2008 and was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

The Mauritanian flag will now feature red bands added to the current green flag with yellow Islamic crescent and star, to honour the blood spilt by those who fought for freedom from colonial master France.</s>Mauritania held a contentious referendum on Saturday to alter the constitution amid widespread opposition claims that the vote is a ploy to increase presidential power.

NOUAKCHOTT: Mauritania held a contentious referendum on Saturday to alter the constitution amid widespread opposition claims that the vote is a ploy to increase presidential power.

Tension has mounted in the lead-up to the referendum which calls for the abolition of the senate and the merging of other key institutions, though the capital Nouakchott was calm on Saturday.

The opposition, concerned that the vote will give President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz too much power and pave the way for him to scrap presidential term limits, has boycotted the vote.

Mauritania has never had a peaceful transfer of power and senior officials have raised concerns by speaking in favour of lifting term limits, currently set at two five-year terms. Abdel Aziz last year said that he had no plans to extend the presidential mandate.

Abdel Aziz says the moves will improve governance in the West African country, but it will also give him more influence over decision-making - he described the senate as "useless and too costly" in front of cheering crowds on Thursday.

Police clashed with anti-government demonstrators in a series of protests in Nouakchott last week, and senators have occupied the senate building in protest.

Abdel Aziz has been an ally of the West in the fight against Islamists in the Sahara. He first came to power in a coup in 2008 and won a second term in 2014, but is barred by the constitution from running again.

Scrapping term limits would enable Abdel Aziz to follow leaders of more than a dozen other African countries including in Uganda, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and more recently Rwanda and Congo Republic.

"Saturday's constitutional referendum represents an authoritarian shift that will exacerbate the threat of civil unrest over the next two years," said Verisk Maplecroft analyst Sean Smith in a note.

"The proposed institutional reforms would give Abdel Aziz even more power in an already hyper-presidential system."</s>NOUAKCHOTT, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Mauritania has voted in favor of a referendum to abolish the senate and change the national flag in what the West African county's opposition says is just a bid by President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz to bolster power and extend his mandate.

The referendum won 85 percent of the vote, the national electoral commission said on Sunday, though only a little over half of the population voted.

The opposition, which boycotted the vote, said the referendum would give Abdel Aziz too much power over decision-making and pave the way for him to scrap presidential term limits. It said the vote was marred by fraud.

The capital Nouakchott was on high alert before the vote on Saturday due to opposition protests in the week before, though voting went ahead on Saturday without incident. A strong police presence was seen on Sunday, according to a Reuters witness.

Abdel Aziz, who last week described the senate as "useless and too costly," has said the move to abolish the governing body would improve governance by introducing more local forms of lawmaking.

Mauritania has never had a peaceful transfer of power and senior officials have spoken in favour of lifting term limits, currently set at two terms.

Abdel Aziz last year said he had no plans to extend the presidential mandate.

Still, police clashed with anti-government demonstrators in a series of protests in Nouakchott last week, and senators on Saturday occupied the senate building in protest.

Abdel Aziz has been an ally of the West in the fight against Islamists in the Sahara. He first came to power in a coup in 2008 and won a second term in 2014, but is barred by the constitution from running again.

Scrapping term limits would enable Abdel Aziz to follow leaders of more than a dozen other African countries including in Uganda, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and more recently Rwanda and Congo Republic.</s>Nouakchott (AFP) - Counting began on Saturday in Mauritania after a referendum on constitutional changes sought by President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who derided the efforts of a boycott movement that has galvanised mass protests during the campaign.

Aziz is pushing to abolish the country's Senate and several other state bodies and to make a small alteration to the national flag, measures that have galvanised boycotters hoping to sap the vote's credibility by forcing a low turnout.

Polling stations closed at 7:00 pm (1900 GMT) after peaceful voting, with no repeat of the violent clashes seen in the final week of campaigning.

After voting in the morning, Aziz said the changes would bring Mauritania "peace, security, stability and development", and dismissed the boycott movement as existing "only on paper and social media".

The boycott movement draws broad political support from figures as diverse as religious conservatives and anti-slavery activists.

They have held several protests attracting thousands of supporters, but have also been prevented from demonstrating by the security forces, who on Thursday shut down several planned rallies close to the capital with tear gas and beat protesters back with batons.

Bedenna Ould Sidi, the head of operations for the country's electoral commission, said the referendum had been a success but turnout was not available.

A source close to the electoral commission told AFP around 1400 GMT that turnout was around 20 percent in Nouakchott and 40 percent in the country's interior.

Around 1.4 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote, and results could be available as early as Sunday if counting proceeds quickly.

While Aziz and his supporters are seeking a "Yes" vote, one moderate opposition party is seeking a "No", while the rest have joined civil society groups to call for a total boycott for amendments they consider unconstitutional.

The Forum for Unity and Democracy (FNDU), a coalition of parties spearheading the boycott, thanked the Mauritanian people for their "positive response" on Saturday night and said they believed turnout had not broken 15 percent.

They repeated earlier claims that Aziz's supporters would arrange for a "vast fraud" to win the vote and promised to reveal tactics aimed at pushing through what they termed an "anticonstitutional farce".

The UN Human Rights Office said Thursday that "protest leaders were reportedly beaten up and a number of them were arrested" during campaign rallies in the last few weeks, urging the government to ensure fair and credible elections.

The opposition also fears that despite Aziz's claims to the contrary, he is laying the groundwork for a third term in power, as his own prime minister said back in July he supported the idea.

Aziz himself fuelled speculation on Saturday by saying that "in two years, or even 10 years other amendments could arise to adapt our constitution to reality," without elaborating.

He also said journalists questioning why European Union observers were not present had a "colonial mentality", describing the EU as "not a barometer for the truth."

Sidi, the polling chief, said foreign observers were present but would not be drawn on where they had come from.

The proposal to modify the constitution, in force since 1991, was rejected by the Senate in March, leading Aziz to call the referendum to push through the changes.

The most contentious measure remains the abolition of the Senate and its replacement with elected regional councils, and senators have held a sit-in this week and demanded apologies from Aziz for accusing them of corruption.

Unrepentant, Aziz said at a final rally on Thursday the Senate "costs a lot, has no use and does nothing", and vowed to launch legal action against several senators.

The president came to power in a coup in 2008 and was elected in 2009 and again in 2014 for a second five-year term.

Under the proposed change to the flag, red bands would be added to the current green flag with yellow Islamic crescent and star, to honour those who fought for freedom from colonial master France.
Voters in Mauritania participate in a referendum on whether to amend the Constitution of Mauritania, with the abolition of the Senate and addition of red bands to the flag of Mauritania among the most significant proposed changes. The OCHR has criticised Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz's government for apparent suppression of opposition protests.