Mauritania’s former defense minister wins presidential election

Mauritania’s former defense minister Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has won presidential election with an absolute majority, the country’s electoral commission announced on Sunday.

Ould Ghazouani who represents Mauritania's ruling party Union for the Republic, a political party created by Ould Abdel Aziz, won the presidential race with 52% of the vote.

The four candidates, who were running for president, held a closed meeting during the same day, rejecting the results of the election.

In Nouakchott, opposition supporters rallied in the city but the march was quickly dispersed by the police.