Election campaign for Mauritania’s June 22 presidential election kicked off on Friday, June 7 at midnight, in accordance with the country’s election laws.
The 14-day campaign will be characterized by rallies by the six candidates across the country in a desperate bid to woo undecided voters.
Four candidates took to the capital Nouakchott to launch their campaign during the day, namely Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar, Mohamed Ould Maouloud, Biram Dah Abeid and Mohamed Lemine El Mourteji.
Regarding political affiliations, Ould Ghazouani, the former Defense minister, is backed by the majority, headed by incumbent President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
Boubacar enjoys the support of the powerful Islamist Tawassoul party, the leading parliamentary opposion, while Maouloud prides himself on being the candidate of a strong alliance of opposition parties.
This includes, in addition to the candidate’s own party (the Union of Forces for Progress – UFP), the emblematic party of the Rassemblement des forces democratiques (RFD) of Ahmed Ould Daddah.
Candidate Biram Dah Abeid can count on the support of his popular anti-slavery organization, the Initiative for the Resurgence of Abolitionism (IRA), in addition to a Sawab political party of Arab nationalist leanings.
Mr. Kane has obtained the support of political parties and current defenders of the cause of black Mauritanians.
The four candidates have agreed to systematically back the one among them who will make it to the second round against the candidate of the majority.
Regarding the sixth candidate, Mr. Mourteji, his political allies and the ideologies he is akin to are not known.
MOO/te/fss/as/APA