The Mauritanians are voting today to choose a new President for the country

Baghdad: About two million Mauritanian voters head today, Saturday, to the polls to choose a new president, in the eighth presidential elections since the adoption of party pluralism in the country in 1991. Seven candidates are competing in the elections, including the current president, Mohamed Sheikh Ould Ghazouani, who is seeking to win a second term, the head of the National Rally for Reform and Development (Tawasul) party, Hammadi Ould Sidi Al-Mukhtar, the university professor, Utama Somare, the head of the Alliance for Justice and Democracy, Bamamadou Bockarie, and MP Eid Ould Mohamed Ould Mubarak, and the head of the 'Resurgence of the Emancipation Movement' initiative, Biram Dah Abeid, along with candidate Mohamed Al-Amine Al-Murtaja Al-Wafi. Ambiguity surrounds the percentage of participation in this vote, as the percentage in the 2019 presidential elections was 62.6%. The elections are being held amid intense security measures, especially after riots and chaos were recorded during the electoral c ampaign, as police forces were deployed in the streets and public places, at a time when the Ministry of Interior warned of attempts to undermine security. According to the Mauritanian Elections Commission, if none of the candidates wins the required majority in the first round, a second round will be held next July 13. Source: National Iraqi News Agency