Mauritania: Media highlight 21 June presidential poll

Nouakchott, Mauritania (PANA) – The presidential election, scheduled for 21 June, was the major story in Mauritania this week.

It followed the validation this week of the application of five candidates for the polls which the opposition coalition has said it will boycott because of what it sees as the lack of guarantee for a free and fair election.

On the rumour that the election might be postponed, the newspaper "L’Authentique" said bluntly that the date for the next presidential poll will be maintained, even with only one candidate.

Quoting reliable sources, the paper said, however, that the government may not have closed the doors against dialogue with the opposition.

The newspaper "Le Calame", highlighted the boycott of the polls by the national forum for democracy and unity (FNDU), a coalition of several political parties, central trade unions, civil society organizations and independent personalities.

The weekly magazine, "Biladi", focused on the withdrawal of the candidature of Mr. Ahmed Salem Ould Bouhoubeiny, president of the national bar of lawyers (ONA) under the headline "Ould Bouhoubeiny withdraws".

It said that the withdrawal of that candidature “was welcomed as a victory within the national forum for democracy and unity and with regret within the presidential palace”.
-0- PANA SAS/JSG/MSA/VAO 17May2014