Mauritanians are preparing to go to the polls this Saturday to elect their president. While outgoing President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani is seeking a second term, this June 29 election highlights the country's deep divisions.
If the trend leans in favor of re-election, his main opposition is Biram Dah Abeid, a black anti-slavery activist who accused him of having mismanaged the country : "Slavery is a central issue in Mauritania, given of the prevalence of slavery, and its presence, given the status of the slave in society The status of the slave The status of the free man, and especially the status of the men who hold these slaves. It is anchored in Mauritanian values, which is why slavery continues to be rampant in Mauritania in such a massive way,” declared the opposition candidate for the Mauritanian presidential election on June 29, 2024.
Born into an Arab Mauritanian family, President Ghazouani is a former army chief who came to power in 2019 following the first democratic transition in the country's history.
Last year, his El Insaf party won a landslide victory in legislative elections, winning 107 of the 176 seats in the National Assembly.
"The population is hungry. The population is thirsty. Unemployment has ruined the youth. That is why young people have emigrated by the thousands or tens of thousands ," said Biram Dah Abeid, opposition candidate.
Mr. Abeid claims that Mr. Ghazouani cultivated a culture of “corruption, plunder of wealth and repression of the population.”
This election in Mauritania will take place against a backdrop of a regional security crisis and persistent allegations of human rights abuses in the country.
Mauritania's election underscores its deep divisions.
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