Mauritania’s incumbent President, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, has secured re-election with 56.12% of the vote, as confirmed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) on Monday.
This win grants him a second term outright, surpassing the 50% threshold required to avoid a runoff.
El Ghazouani, a former army chief, is viewed as a stabilizing force in the Sahel region and is set to guide Mauritania as it transitions into a gas-producing nation.
His main rival, anti-slavery activist Biram Dah Abeid, received 22.10% of the vote but contested the results, alleging government manipulation. Hamadi Ould Sid’ El Moctar of the Islamist Tewassoul party came in third with 12.78% support.
The election saw a turnout of 55.39%, lower than in 2019, with approximately 1.9 million registered voters choosing among seven candidates.
El Ghazouani, aged 67, is credited with maintaining national security amid regional instability.
Following the announcement of results on Saturday, protests by Abeid’s supporters in the capital, Nouakchott, led to an increased police presence and the arrest of Abeid’s campaign manager, despite an overall peaceful voting process.
