Mauritanian presidential election, 2003
Encyclopedia
A presidential election was held in Mauritania
on November 7, 2003. As expected, President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
was easily re-elected against weak opposition. The opposition alleged election fraud, and Taya's main challenger, former military ruler Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
(the man who Taya ousted when he seized power in December 1984), was arrested both immediately before and after the vote. The election did see two notable firsts: Aicha Bint Jeddane was the first female presidential candidate, and Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
was the first descendant of slaves to run for the office.
The election took place a few months after a violent unsuccessful coup d'état
attempt in June 2003, and Taya was overthrown in a coup two years later, in August 2005.
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
on November 7, 2003. As expected, President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya , was Prime Minister of Mauritania from 1981 to 1984 and president from 1984 to 2005. He guided Mauritania from military rule to democracy, and took a pro-Western stance in foreign affairs...
was easily re-elected against weak opposition. The opposition alleged election fraud, and Taya's main challenger, former military ruler Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
Ret. Col. Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidallah was the head of state of Mauritania from 4 January 1980 to 12 December 1984...
(the man who Taya ousted when he seized power in December 1984), was arrested both immediately before and after the vote. The election did see two notable firsts: Aicha Bint Jeddane was the first female presidential candidate, and Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
Messaoud Ould Boulkheir
Messaoud Ould Boulkheir is among the first Haratine to become a political leader in Mauritania. Messaoud also contributed significantly to the end of the 1989 events in Mauritania, protecting the right of the victims and the emancipation of the Haratine in Mauritania with his party.Presently,...
was the first descendant of slaves to run for the office.
The election took place a few months after a violent unsuccessful coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
attempt in June 2003, and Taya was overthrown in a coup two years later, in August 2005.