Polling Stations in Mauritania Closes After an Uneventful Day

The outgoing Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Gazouani as he puts his vote today in an electoral college in the capital Nouakchott in the first round of the presidential elections. Photo: EFE/MO

June 29, 2024 Hour: 4:30 pm

Polling stations in Mauritania closed their doors this Saturday at 19.00 local time (GMT) after an uneventful day in which Mauritanians were called to elect their president.

By noon, the turnout had reached 13%, before rising to 40% at 18.00 hours, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) which oversees the entire electoral process. Some 1.9 million Mauritanians are eligible to cast a ballot, electoral authorities have said.

The influx to polling stations increased at the end of the day, as many voters wanted to avoid exposure to high temperatures.

#Mauritania ????????: Crucial elections for the country. With 1.9M registered voters, the opposition denounces a “unilateral” process.

????️ President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani seeks a second term, promising investments in energy and mining. His main opponent is Biram Ould Dah Ould Abeid,… pic.twitter.com/KMkWlp9XDz
— WhoVotesNow (@whovotesnow) June 29, 2024

The first results are expected to be available on Sunday or Monday. Should none of the candidates win 50% of the vote, a second round will be held on 13 July.

Seven candidates are running in this first round, including outgoing Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who is the big favourite. Ghazouani, is a Mauritanian politician and former general, president of Mauritania since August 1, 2019.