With 78% of ballots counted, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani has secured over 55% of the total votes, placing him in a strong position ahead of six other presidential contenders. His closest rival, Biram Dah Abeid, trails significantly with less than 23% of the vote.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of Mauritania announced preliminary results late Sunday, indicating Ghazouani’s commanding lead. The counting process covered 3,523 out of 4,503 polling stations nationwide, accounting for 78.15% of all votes cast.
Following Ghazouani and Abeid are Hamadi Ould Sid’ El Moctar with 12.82%, El-Aid Ould Mohamedan with 3.52%, Mamadou Boukari with 2.38%, Outouma Soumare with 2.24%, and Mohamed Lamine Mourteji El Wafi with 0.97%.
Mauritania, a North African nation of 4.5 million people, registered 1.9 million voters for the June 29 presidential election. Ghazouani, the incumbent seeking re-election, had been widely expected to win despite allegations of corruption from critics.
Ghazouani, a former army chief and current African Union (AU) chairman, first assumed office in 2019 in Mauritania’s initial democratic transition. His campaign focused on promises of continued economic growth and stability.
In Mauritania’s governance structure, the president holds significant powers, including the appointment of the prime minister, while the Parliament consists of a single chamber, the National Assembly.
