2023-05-13 03:07:12
Mauritanians will have to deposit no less than six ballot papers in the ballot boxes today, explains our correspondent in Nouakchott, Lea Breuil. A first to choose their mayors, another to choose their 15 regional councilors and 4 just to choose the 176 deputies of Parliament. Among these 4 ballots for deputies: one of them has been reserved since 2013 for women candidates to ensure their representation in Parliament.
And for the first time this year, another is reserved for young applicants under 35. Eleven seats will be automatically allocated to them in the National Assembly. Another novelty, half of the deputies will be elected this year by proportional representation. So to help voters not make mistakes during the vote: awareness-raising actions were carried out during the campaign and each of the parties has a very recognizable symbol next to its name, such as the scale for the ruling party El Insaf, the palm tree for the first Islamist opposition party Tawassoul or the lion for the Sawab party of former anti-slavery deputy Biram Dah Abeid.
These reforms might spark enthusiasm for these elections among young Mauritanians, who make up the majority of the country’s population. However, despite these provisions, the Electoral Commission fears that ballots are incorrectly filled out. In 2018, just over 31% of the ballots which concerned the national lists were invalid ballots.
El Insaf left him in a position de force
This triple ballot will serve above all to measure the popularity of President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, and his party El Insaf. After four years in power, this is the first time that the head of state has faced the test of the ballot box. His training is a favorite, because it is the only one to present candidates in all departments. These elections will also be an indicator for the 2024 presidential election, even if the Head of State has not yet decided on a possible second term, reminds our special envoy to Nouakchott, Sidy Yansane.
Even if it leaves disunited, the stakes are just as important for the opposition, in particular for the two main challengers of the presidential party. For the Islamist party Tawassoul, which held the largest number of seats in the Assembly following the ruling party, it is a question of confirming its status as the leading opposition force.
Because in ambush is Biram Dah Abeid. The anti-slavery activist, who has not received permission to form his own political party, has allied himself with the Sawab party, which hopes to benefit from the popularity of the Mauritanian black rights activist, who came second in the presidential election of 2019.
People from the outskirts, people from poor neighborhoods, we can’t manage to live decently. The newly elected must help us improve our lives.
The expectations of Mauritanians
► To read also: Mauritania: voters torn between hope in youth and disappointment in politics
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