Mauritania’s government, which has positioned itself as an ally of the West against Islamist militants, declared victory yesterday in the country’s presidential election but opposition candidates said they could contest the results.
Data from the electoral earlier showed the ruling party’s Mohamed Ould Ghazouani comfortably ahead after Saturday’s vote, taking 50.41% of the ballot with more than half votes counted, a clear but still far from unassailable lead.
If no one gets more than half the votes, the election goes to a second round. “Congratulations to president-elect Mohamed Ould Ghazouani for the trust the people have shown him. We wish him all success in his work,” Communications Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Maham wrote in Arabic.
Ghazouani has campaigned on continuing economic and security progress made under outgoing president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who took the helm in a 2008 coup.
Under the leadership of the 62-year-old president, the economy has grown and will receive an extra boost when a large offshore gas field starts producing early next decade. At a news conference, however, opposition candidates said they would contest the results if the ruling party, which they said had no right to proclaim on the results, won outright.