Mauritania’s incumbent President, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, has clinched re-election with 56.12% of the vote, as officially announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) today.
President Ghazouani’s victory guarantees him a second term outright, surpassing the crucial 50% threshold required to avoid a runoff.
A former army chief, Ghazouani is recognized as a unifying presence in the Sahel region and is poised to guide Mauritania through its transition into a gas-producing nation. His primary rival, anti-slavery advocate Biram Dah Abeid, garnered 22.10% of the votes.
Mauritanian President Poised for Re-election as Vote Tally Reaches 78%
Despite Abeid disputing the results and alleging government interference, the third-place contender, Hamadi Ould Sid’ El Moctar of the Islamist Tewassoul party, secured 12.78% of the votes.
The election witnessed a voter turnout of 55.39%, lower than the previous 2019 election, with approximately 1.9 million registered voters selecting from a pool of seven candidates. Aged 67, Ghazouani is lauded for upholding the nation’s security amidst regional turbulence.
The election results from Saturday were progressively disclosed online, showcasing Ghazouani’s lead. Despite the peaceful electoral process, demonstrations by Abeid’s supporters in the capital, Nouakchott, prompted heightened police presence and the apprehension of Abeid’s campaign manager.
