Mauritania - News Archive

Mauritanian Elections Chief Resigns

Posted: 07/23/2009
Election commission head Sid'Ahmed Ould DEYE resigned last week following formal opposition complaints and an appeal lodged with Mauritania’s Constitutional Court. Foreign observers were satisfied with the conduct of the election, and following DEYE’S resignation, the Court validated the result. General Mohammad Ould Abdel AZIZ won the election with more than 52 percent of votes in the country's first polls after overthrowing an elected, civilian government last August.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania: Election Results Challenged

Posted: 07/22/2009
Coup leader-turned-politician General Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz has been declared winner of Saturday's presidential elections by Mauritania's Interior Ministry.

Read full story. Source: AllAfrica News: Latest

Mauritanian Coup Leader Wins Election

Posted: 07/21/2009
General Mohammad Ould Abdel AZIZ became civilian President of Mauritania, winning more than 52 percent of votes in the country’s first post-coup polls. AZIZ overthrew Mauritania’s elected civilian government in August 2009. Following a power-sharing agreement with AZIZ, opposition leaders ended their boycott of this month’s election. Turnout was more than 64 percent. The Constitutional Court must validate the result, and some opposition groups are calling for it to be overturned. According to French and African Union observers, there were no major irregularities.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania: Coup Leader Elected President

Posted: 07/20/2009
General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who overthrew an elected government in Mauritania 11 months ago, was himself chosen president of the country in a new election at the weekend. But four opposing candidates rejected the result.

Read full story. Source: AllAfrica News: Latest

Mauritania: Coup Leader Elected President

Posted: 07/20/2009
General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who overthrew an elected government in Mauritania 11 months ago, was himself chosen president of the country in a new election at the weekend. But four opposing candidates rejected the result.

Read full story. Source: AllAfrica News: Latest

Mauritanian Military Leaders Face Off

Posted: 06/06/2009
Former coup leader Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed VALL will contest a transitional Presidential election on July 18, according to an announcement last Friday. One of his competitors is Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ, who in August 2008 overthrew the civilian winner of a 2007 transitional election that VALL had organized. Other opposition candidates have said that they will boycott the election.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania: UN Chief Welcomes Agreement

Posted: 06/05/2009
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed yesterday's signing of an agreement between parties in Mauritania, which was rocked by a coup d'etat last summer, calling it a "solid basis" for the West African nation's return to constitutional order and the consolidation of democracy.

Read full story. Source: AllAfrica News: Latest

Mauritania: Parties Agree on Interim Govt, Election Date

Posted: 06/04/2009
Mauritanian parties have agreed to form a transitional government to replace the military regime installed in a coup last year, pending elections to be held in July.

Read full story. Source: AllAfrica News: Latest

Mauritania Postpones Transitional Election

Posted: 06/04/2009
Mauritanian political parties have moved the June 6 elections back to July 18, agreeing with the help of Senegalese mediators to set up a provisional civilian government in the meantime. The interim authority replaces a military junta that seized power in August 2008. Coup leader General Mohamed Ould ABDELAZIZ will contest the presidential election.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritanian Opposition Boycotts Election Campaign

Posted: 05/22/2009
All major opposition candidates are boycotting the Presidential election campaign in Mauritania, forcing most parties into mediation over the timetable for the June 6 vote. Junta leader Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ seized power in an August 2008 palace coup. He had ousted Mauritania’s first ever freely elected leader.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania opposition rejects elections as farce

Posted: 04/13/2009
NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) — A coalition of parties opposed to last year's coup in Mauritania's rejected Monday the military junta's planned elections as a farce aimed at legitimizing army rule.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania coup a threat to Africa: president's son

Posted: 08/24/2008
NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - The military coup that toppled Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi this month threatens the future of democracy in Africa if left unchallenged, the deposed president's son said on Sunday.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Ousted Mauritania PM re-arrested

Posted: 08/21/2008
Mauritania's former PM Yahia Ould Ahmed El-Waqef is re-arrested by coup leaders, his supporters say.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | Africa | UK Edition

Old guard

Posted: 08/14/2008
Mauritania's coup leader steps out from the shadows

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Majority of Mauritania parliament is pro-coup

Posted: 08/13/2008
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) -- More than two-thirds of Mauritanian lawmakers endorsed last week's army-led coup, urging world governments Wednesday to recognize the ruling junta as the legitimate government....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Military Overthrows Mauritania Government, Pledges to Hold New Elections

Posted: 08/13/2008
On Wednesday, August 6, a bloodless military coup deposed the government of Mauritanian president Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI, the country's first democratically-elected president. General Mohamed Ould ABDEL AZIZ, who led the group of military officers responsible for the coup, promised to hold new presidential elections "as soon as possible," though he has yet to specify a date. The coup came the same day that the President dismissed several high-ranking military officers, including General ABDEL AZIZ, the head of the presidential guard. Later that day, President ABDALLAHI was arrested by members of his own presidential guard, and state radio and television were taken off the air after announcing the reinstatement of the sacked officers and declaring Mr. ABDALLAHI a "former" president. Despite the military junta's pledge to hold new elections soon and its efforts to win the support of the country's political parties, which it has invited to join an interim cabinet, the coup has attracted strong condemnations from the United States, the European Union, as well as from neighboring Algeria, Nigeria, and Libya.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania coup leaders free prime minister

Posted: 08/11/2008
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) -- Mauritania's ousted prime minister defiantly refused to recognize the African country's ruling military junta Monday, after he was freed from house arrest under international pressure....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Mauritania: Coup Leader Remains in Face of Protests

Posted: 08/11/2008
Recent visits between coup leader Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and leaders from the African Union, League of Arab States, United Nations, and Mauritania's major donors have prompted both protest and promises.

Read full story. Source: AllAfrica News: Latest

Mauritania army stages coup; junta takes charge

Posted: 08/06/2008
NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) -- Army officers staged a coup in Mauritania on Wednesday and detained the president and prime minister, overthrowing the first government to be freely elected in the desert country in more than 20 years....

Read full story. Source: AP Top International News

Mauritania's president sworn in

Posted: 04/19/2007
Mauritania's new president is sworn in in the capital, Nouakchott following last month's historic polls.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | Africa | UK Edition

Ex-minister wins Mauritania poll

Posted: 03/26/2007
Former cabinet minister Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi wins Mauritania's historic presidential election.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Cheikh Abdallahi elected in second round presidential election

Posted: 03/26/2007
The ministry of the interior declared former cabinet minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi the winner of the March 25 run-off presidential election. Cheikh Abdallahi obtained 373,519 of the vote or 52.85%, while his opponent Ahmed Ould Daddah won 333,184 votes or 47.15%. Voter turnout was 67.5%. The election marked the last stage of a year-long process of gradual return to democracy after a military coup in 2005. The election was deemed the fairest since Mauritania obtained independence in 1960.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania candidates promise to outlaw slavery

Posted: 03/23/2007
NOUAKCHOTT (Reuters) - Mauritania will make slavery a crime in the Saharan Islamic state where the centuries-old practice persists despite being banned, the two candidates for the presidency have vowed.

Read full story. Source: Reuters: International

Run-off presidential vote slated for March 25, 2007

Posted: 03/15/2007
A run-off presidential election has been slated for March 25 after no candidate obtained a majority in the March 11 poll. After the first round, Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi emerged on top with 25% of votes and was followed by Ahmed Ould Daddah who obtained 21%. The two will meet in the presidential runoff on March 25. Other favorite candidates in the first round were Zeine Ould Zeidane (15%), Messaoud Ould Boulkheir (10%), Ibrahima Moctar Sarr (8%), and Saleh Ould Mohamedou Ould Hanana (8%). Voter turnout was 70%.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania: Vote for New Civilian President Passes Peacefully

Posted: 03/12/2007
Mauritanians went to the polls on Sunday to elect a civilian president and end what has effectively been 29 years of military rule.

Read full story. Source: AllAfrica News: Latest

Mauritania rivals set for run-off

Posted: 03/12/2007
With most votes in Mauritania's presidential poll counted the two favourites seem certain to face a run-off.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | Africa | UK Edition

No majority after Mauritania poll

Posted: 12/05/2006
Results from a second round of voting in Mauritania's parliamentary elections show no party has a majority.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | Africa | UK Edition

No majority after run-off election

Posted: 12/04/2006
At the end of two rounds of voting on November 19 and December 3, none of the political parties that ran in the election won sufficient votes to secure a majority in the 81-member National Assembly. According to final official results announced by the Mauritanian government on December 4, the strongest performers were the Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD) with 15 seats, the Progress Force Union (UFP) with 8 seats, the former ruling Renewed Republican Democratic Party (PRDR) with 7 seats, and the Popular Progressive Alliance (APP) with 5 seats. In addition to political parties, a total of 41 independents also qualified for a seat in the National Assembly. Most of these independent candidates belong to Islamist parties or movements which had been banned from running as registered parties.�

Source: ElectionGuide

Opposition leads Mauritania race

Posted: 11/23/2006
The opposition wins the first stage of Mauritania's first poll since a coup ended 20 years of authoritarian rule.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | Africa | UK Edition

Mauritania counts election votes

Posted: 11/20/2006
Votes are counted after Mauritania's first poll since a bloodless coup ended 20 years of authoritarian rule.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | Africa | UK Edition

Mauritania set to approve reforms

Posted: 06/26/2006
The "Yes" camp is heading for victory in Mauritania's referendum on a new constitution, officials say.

Read full story. Source: BBC News | World | UK Edition

Mauritania approves constitutional reform

Posted: 06/26/2006
In a national referendum on June 25, Mauritanians approved amendments to the country's constitution to limit presidents to two consecutive terms of five years each. Previously, the president could serve an unlimited number of six-year terms. According to results released by the Ministry of the Interior on June 26 for all but one area, 96.97% of the voters voted in favor of the reform and voter turnout was high at 76.51%. The referendum was the first in a row of national elections slated for the end of 2006 and beginning of 2007.

Source: ElectionGuide

Presidential Elections in Mauritania Still to be Held on November 7

Posted: 06/16/2003
On June 12, Mauritanian President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA announced that presidential elections will still be held on November 7, 2003. This announcement came after a coup against the president failed on June 8, in which insurgents attempted to storm the presidential palace. The government also announced that it would begin updating its registration rolls as early as June 15 to allow its citizens ample time to register.

Source: ElectionGuide

Mauritania Announces Results of Parliamentary Elections

Posted: 10/26/2001
The governing Democratic and Social Republican Party has won 56 of the 65 seats declared thus far from the October 19, 2001 parliamentary election. A second round will be held on October 26 to decide the remaining 14 seats up for election.

Source: ElectionGuide

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