Last August, a bloodless coup took place in Mauritania led by presidential guard chief General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, that ousted its first democratically elected president Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi. Abdallahi came into power himself in a bloodless coup back in 2005 following the ousting of Mauritanian strongman Maaouya Ould Sid’Ahmed Taya.
Junta leader Aziz ruled the country, but promised a “free and transparent” election would be held quickly. Nearly a year after seizing power, Aziz has won the desert nation’s presidential election in the first round, the government said.
The country’s constitutional court must still confirm the result of the vote, which is meant to show investors and donors that the country is ready to rejoin the international fold after sanctions were imposed following last year’s coup. The final result announced late Sunday by Interior Minister Mohamed Ould Rzeizim showed Aziz with 52% of the vote, a majority that enables him to avoid a runoff which would have been scheduled for August 1 if no candidate had won a 50% majority. Rzeizim said parliament speaker Messaoud Ould Boulkheir came in second with 16% of the vote, while veteran opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah was third with 13%.
Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, seized power himself in 2005 but lived up to his promise to stand aside after two years and hold Mauritania’s first fully democratic elections. He had previously lashed out against Aziz, his cousin and former ally, over the governmental overturn; however, Vall did not have official backing from any political party.
Although critics expect little change to take place in Mauritania. "We’ve gone backward to an era of dictatorship," said Boubacar Ould Messaoud, who heads an anti-slavery movement in Mauritania, although officially slavery has been banned. “Aziz is no democrat." He continued, "He is a soldier, and like all soldiers, he should stay in his barracks. There will be no difference between this regime and the junta."
Several hundred international observers are monitoring the vote. But none of the main groups, including those from the African Union and French speaking countries, have released their findings. Mahamat Saleh Annadif, of the African Union, said the body’s monitors were still returning to Nouakchott and the mission would be released later today.