Mauritania wrapped up on Friday evening the election campaigns after two weeks of strong competition and hot debates between 19 presidential candidates, 11 from them are independents, and eight candidates are representing political parties, including 14 who are running for the first time.

Presidential candidate, Saleh Ould Hanena, said in his last presidential rally on Friday evening that he will fight corruption and mismanagement, repeating his pledge that he will severe ties with Israel and protect the wealth of the country and preserve its Arab and Islamic identity .
 
It is worth mentioning that these elections will be held under supervision of mmany domestic and internationals organizations; there are 312 international observers who have been delegated from The European Union, the African Union, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and the international Francophone organization .
These elections will be monitored also by 39 African non-governmental organizations, and 800 local observers .

Mauritania’s MB supports Ould Hanena in presidential elections

In a related context, the moderate reformists (Mauritania’s Muslim Brotherhood offshoot) declared that it will support Saleh Ould Hanen, the chairman of the Mauritanian Union and Change Party " Hatem", in Sunday’s presidential elections, as he is one of the most prominent opposition figures during the era of the ousted president Maaouiya Ould Taya and he led some coup attempts against the previous regime .

Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour, the coordinator of the movement of Moderate Reformists, said that the reformists declared their support to Ould Hanena due to his struggle which considerably contributed to toppling the previous regime, and his many patriotic stances, including his rejection of the widespread corruption in the country and "the rejected ties with Israel", and his preaching for freedom, support of human rights, and his calling for improving living conditions of the poor in the Mauritanian society .

Ould Mansour pointed out that Ould Hanena vowed also to stick to the option of change and reform, and to back any candidate calling for change and the reform in the country in case Ould Hanena doesn’t win a second round (run-off) in the presidential race .

Regarding the movement’s support to Ould Hanena, although he participated in previous coups, Ould Mansour said "The Islamic movement rejects use of force, but it understands that it was used to for liberation" confirming that the reformists’ decision was taken in a democratic way, after wide internal consultations and after reading the candidacy manifestoes of all candidates .
It is worth mentioning that the moderate reformists backed during the 2003 presidential elections the former president Mohamed Khona Ould Haidalla; Ould Haidalla won more than 18 % votes in these elections .

The moderate reformists achieved good results in 2006 Legislative and Municipal elections; however, Ould Mansour confirmed that the regulations organizing the election process hindered the reformists from garnering more seats.

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