Campaigning halted ahead of Mauritania charter vote

By Mohamed Bakay

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AA) - In line with electoral regulations, all campaigning activity was halted in Mauritania on Friday in advance of tomorrow’s scheduled referendum on a raft of proposed constitutional amendments.

Some 1.4 million registered voters will cast ballots on Saturday to decide whether or not to apply constitutional changes proposed by the government of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

If enacted, the changes would abolish Mauritania’s High Court of Justice; establish a system of regional administrative councils; adopt a proportional system in national elections; change Mauritania’s national flag; and institute a unicameral -- rather than bicameral -- parliament.

Several Mauritanian opposition parties, however, have vowed to boycott the vote and stage demonstrations against the president’s policies.

Ould Abdel Aziz, for his part, says the proposed amendments are aimed at “promoting the country’s development and raising citizens’ standards of living”.

In March, Mauritania’s senate rejected the proposed changes, prompting the president to call for a public referendum on the issue -- to the fury of opposition parties and lawmakers.

Polling stations are expected to open countrywide Saturday morning and official results will be announced early next week.

Recent weeks have seen numerous opposition protests against the planned referendum, many of which were dispersed by Mauritanian security forces.