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| Turnout | 60.86% | ||||||||||||||||
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 Results by wilaya | |||||||||||||||||
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Presidential elections were held in Mauritania on 7 November 2003. As expected, incumbent President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya was easily re-elected against weak opposition.[1] The opposition alleged election fraud, and Ould Taya's main challenger, former military ruler Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla (the man who Ould Taya ousted when he seized power in December 1984), was arrested both immediately before and after the vote.[2] The elections saw two notable firsts; Aicha Bint Jeddane was the country's first female presidential candidate, and Messaoud Ould Boulkheir was the first descendant of slaves to run for the office.[3]
The elections took place a few months after a violent unsuccessful coup attempt in June 2003. Ould Taya was overthrown in a coup two years later, in August 2005.[4][5]
- ^ "En Mauritanie, le président au pouvoir depuis 19 ans brigue sa réélection face à trois candidats de poids". Le Monde (in French). 2003-11-06. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ Top Mauritanian politician held BBC News, 9 November 2003
- ^ Mauritania's hour postponed Archived 2006-09-25 at the Wayback Machine Al-Ahram Weekly, 13–19 November 2005
- ^ "Coup ousts West-leaning leader of Mauritania". NBC News. 2005-08-03. Retrieved 2023-10-22.
- ^ "Ex-Mauritania leader defends record". Al Jazeerra. Retrieved 2023-10-22.