Presidential elections were held in Mauritania on 22 June 2019, with a second round planned for 6 July if no candidate had received more than 50% of the vote.Mauritania to hold presidential election on June 22 African News, 18 June 2019 The result was a first round victory for Mohamed Ould Ghazouani who won with 52 percent of the vote.Mauritania: Former General Mohamed Ould Ghazouani wins presidential election Deutsche Welle, 24 June 2019Mauritania's Ghazouani declared presidential vote winner Aljazeera, 24 June 2019 However, opposition rejected the results,Mauritanian opposition rejects Ghazouani election victory Africa Times, 25 June 2019 calling it "another army coup."‘Historic’ Mauritanian elections contested by opposition The Arab Weekly, 29 June 2019 On 1 July 2019, Mauritania's constitutional council confirmed Ghazouani as president and rejected a challenge by the opposition.Mauritania Constitutional Council Confirms Mohamed Ould Ghazouani as President, VOA, 1 July 2019

With incumbent President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz not running, the elections were reported to be the first peaceful transfer of power since the country's independence from France in 1960.Mauritania prepares for historic election as discontent simmers Reuters, 20 June 2019

Electoral system Under Article 26 of the constitution, the president is elected for a five-year term using the two round system. If no candidate receives an absolute majority of the vote in the first round, a second round is held two weeks later between the two candidates who received the most votes.

Candidacy is restricted to citizens by birth aged between 40 and 75 (on the day of the first round) who have not had their civil and political rights removed. Article 23 also stipulates that the president has to be a Muslim. Article 28 establishes a term limit of two mandates, allowing the president to only be re-elected once.

The election of a new president is required to take place between 30 and 45 days before the expiration of the term of the incumbent president.

Candidates Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Union for the Republic. Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, supported by Tewassoul. Biram Dah Abeid, Independent. Mohamed Ould Maouloud, Union of the Forces of Progress, supported by the Rally of Democratic Forces. Kane Hamidou Baba, Independent, supported by the Vivre Ensemble coalition. Mohamed Lemine El Mourteji El Wafi, Independent.

Campaign Candidate slogans

CandidateOriginal sloganEnglish translation In Arabic In French Mohamed Ould Ghazouani For the homeland Biram Dah Abeid Change now Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar Restore hopeChange now, not tomorrow!

Opinion polls Pollingfirm Fieldworkdate Samplesize CMERS15 Jun 20192,05629.5%23.0%9.5%3.7%2.6%2.1%2.0%14.9%12.7%

Results

Tables Results by wilaya Wilaya Ghazouani Abeid Boubacar Baba Maouloud El Wavi Neutral Null Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Adrar 16,743 68.88% 1,514 6.23% 5,009 20.61% 226 0.93% 751 3.09% 63 0.26% 178 0.71% 668 2.66% Assaba 47,275 68.19% 10,702 15.44% 8,805 12.70% 921 1.33% 1,418 2.05% 203 0.29% 305 0.42% 2,496 3.46% Brakna 46,038 50.64% 10,643 11.71% 15,947 17.54% 16,836 18.52% 1,291 1.42% 160 0.18% 1,350 1.42% 2,753 2.90% Dakhlet Nouadhibou 14,248 30.04% 15,587 32.86% 10,713 22.59% 5,534 11.67% 1,075 2.27% 273 0.58% 491 1.00% 1,010 2.06% Gorgol 23,594 35.95% 21,429 32.65% 3,451 5.26% 15,196 23.16% 1,795 2.74% 158 0.24% 937 1.36% 2,435 3.53% Guidimagha 19,454 41.69% 16,131 34.56% 4,021 8.62% 6,461 13.84% 529 1.13% 73 0.16% 573 1.16% 1,958 3.98% Hodh Ech Chargui 75,463 81.80% 2,877 3.12% 12,156 13.18% 367 0.40% 594 0.64% 799 0.87% 336 0.35% 2,809 2.94% Hodh El Gharbi 52,350 75.07% 3,421 4.91% 11,647 16.70% 625 0.90% 1,430 2.05% 266 0.38% 243 0.34% 1,849 2.57% Inchiri 5,659 60.67% 753 8.07% 2,244 24.06% 472 5.06% 180 1.93% 19 0.20% 94 0.98% 193 2.01% Nouakchott-Nord 29,055 39.77% 15,003 20.54% 22,558 30.88% 2,776 3.80% 3,133 4.29% 534 0.73% 824 1.08% 2,368 3.11% Nouakchott-Ouest 25,379 34.89% 20,055 27.57% 13,468 18.51% 10,124 13.92% 3,414 4.69% 306 0.42% 1,164 1.53% 2,386 2,386 Nouakchott-Sud 30,889 31.39% 30,621 31.12% 18,742 19.05% 15,054 15.30% 2,667 2.71% 433 0.44% 1,472 1.43% 3,203 3.11% Tagant 19,467 73.47% 1,105 4.17% 4,622 17.44% 73 0.28% 1,186 4.48% 44 0.17% 152 0.56% 549 2.02% Tiris Zemmour 8,772 44.07% 2,991 15.03% 5,690 28.59% 1,834 9.21% 539 2.71% 77 0.39% 174 0.84% 556 2.69% Trarza 65,068 57.77% 17,150 15.23% 25,021 22.22% 2,808 2.49% 2,369 2.10% 211 0.19% 1,119 0.96% 3,352 2.86% Diaspora 3,553 35.73% 2,667 26.82% 1,901 19.12% 1,470 14.78% 285 2.87% 69 0.69% 92 0.90% 211 2.06% Total 483,007 52.00% 172,649 18.59% 165,995 17.87% 80,777 8.70% 22,656 2.44% 3,688 0.40% 9,504 0.98% 28,796 2.98% Source: Constitutional Council

Results by moughataa Moughataa Ghazouani Abeid Boubacar Baba Maouloud El Wavi Neutral Null Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Aïoun 12,673 71.01% 897 5.03% 3,779 21.17% 40 0.22% 379 2.12% 80 0.45% 52 0.28% 451 2.46% Akjoujt 3,422 59.27% 300 5.20% 1,622 28.09% 288 4.99% 128 2.22% 14 0.24% 64 1.08% 95 1.60% Aleg 20,143 64.45% 2,324 7.44% 8,027 25.68% 286 0.92% 427 1.37% 49 0.16% 137 0.42% 935 2.89% Amourj Aoujeft 4,413 77.75% 81 1.43% 797 14.04% 19 0.33% 355 6.25% 11 0.19% 24 0.42% 73 1.26% Arafat 19,730 44.28% 7,486 16.80% 12,439 27.92% 2,859 6.42% 1,725 3.87% 318 0.71% 508 1.10% 1,289 2.78% Atar 9,333 63.89% 1,237 8.47% 3,629 24.84% 190 1.30% 181 1.24% 38 0.26% 138 0.90% 516 3.38% Bababé 3,487 36.52% 1,121 11.74% 483 5.06% 4,378 45.85% 63 0.66% 16 0.17% 328 3.24% 263 2.59% Barkéol Bassiknou Bénichab 2,237 62.96% 453 12.75% 622 17.51% 184 5.18% 52 1.46% 5 0.14% 30 0.82% 98 2.66% Bir Moghrein Boghé 5,820 30.29% 3,834 19.96% 1,738 9.05% 7,433 38.69% 346 1.80% 41 0.21% 482 2.38% 551 2.72% Boumdeid Boutilimit Chami 1,818 54.40% 441 13.20% 977 29.23% 38 1.14% 55 1.65% 13 0.39% 53 1.52% 84 2.41% Chinguetti 1,611 67.13% 167 6.96% 386 16.08% 16 0.67% 207 8.63% 13 0.54% 9 0.36% 63 2.55% Dar Naïm 8,927 37.59% 6,327 26.64% 6,145 25.87% 1,455 6.13% 835 3.52% 61 0.26% 303 1.21% 900 3.61% Djiguenni El Mina 5,985 20.37% 13,193 44.90% 3,142 10.69% 6,619 22.52% 391 1.33% 56 0.19% 543 1.75% 1,047 3.38% F'Déirick Ghabou Guerou Kaédi Kankoussa Keur Macène Kiffa Koubenni 12,456 67.02% 1,470 7.91% 3,646 19.62% 300 1.61% 630 3.39% 84 0.45% 84 0.44% 614 3.18% Ksar 9,623 46.13% 3,862 18.51% 5,395 25.86% 923 4.42% 971 4.65% 87 0.42% 304 1.39% 747 3.41% M'Bagne M'Bout Maghama Magta Lahjar Méderdra Monguel Moudjéria N'Beiket Lahwach Néma Nouadhibou 12,430 28.19% 15,146 34.35% 9,736 22.08% 5,496 12.47% 1,020 2.31% 260 0.59% 438 0.96% 926 2.04% Ouad Naga Ouadane 1,386 85.45% 29 1.79% 197 12.15% 1 0.06% 8 0.49% 1 0.06% 7 0.43% 16 0.97% Oualata Ould Yengé R'Kiz Riyad 5,174 21.15% 9,942 40.64% 3,161 12.92% 5,576 22.79% 551 2.25% 59 0.24% 421 1.63% 867 3.37% Rosso Sebkha 2,720 13.04% 9,795 46.97% 983 4.71% 7,018 33.65% 304 1.46% 35 0.17% 386 1.75% 780 3.54% Sélibaby Tamchekett 9,449 83.90% 399 3.54% 1,297 11.52% 25 0.22% 74 0.66% 18 0.16% 23 0.20% 188 1.64% Tevragh Zeina 13,036 42.01% 6,398 20.62% 7,090 22.85% 2,183 7.04% 2,139 6.89% 184 0.59% 474 1.46% 859 2.65% Teyarett 8,493 40.08% 3,808 17.97% 6,659 31.43% 985 4.65% 1,099 5.19% 144 0.68% 266 1.21% 596 2.70% Tichitt Tidjikja Timbédra Tintane 17,772 80.62% 655 2.97% 2,925 13.27% 260 1.18% 347 1.57% 84 0.38% 84 0.37% 596 2.62% Toujounine 11,635 41.37% 4,868 17.31% 9,754 34.69% 336 1.19% 1,199 4.26% 329 1.17% 255 0.87% 872 2.98% Zouérate Africa America Asia Europe Total 483,007 52.00% 172,649 18.59% 165,995 17.87% 80,777 8.70% 22,656 2.44% 3,688 0.40% 9,504 0.98% 28,796 2.98% Source: Constitutional Council

Aftermath Following Ould Ghazouani's declaration of victory, protests were held in Nouakchott, leading to around 100 arrests.opposition candidates challenge presidential election result Reuters, 26 June 2019 The government started to reduce mobile internet services on the day after the elections, with fixed-line internet services ceasing on 25 June; both were fully restored on 3 July.Mauritania: Widespread Arrests to Blunt Backlash Over Election Human Rights Watch, 23 July 2019

References