Mauritania heads to polls to elect new president

Vote is seen as first democratic election in Mauritania since it gained independence in 1960

By Mohamed al-Bakay

NOUAKCHOTT (AA) – Voters in Mauritania went to the polls on Saturday to elect a new president in the North Africa country.

Around 1.5 million Mauritanians are eligible to cast ballot in the polls, which is seen as the first democratic election in the country since Mauritania gained independence in 1960.

Polling stations opened at 07:00 a.m. local time (07:00 GMT) and will close at 07:00 p.m. (07:00 GMT).

Six candidates are vying in the vote to replace incumbent President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who seized power in 2008 and went on to win election in 2009 and 2014.

Former Defense Minister Mohamed Ahmed Ould Ghazouani and a close ally of the current president is the frontrunner in the vote.

The five other candidates include former Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, who is backed by several Islamic-leaning political parties.

Kaynak: