A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, June 8, 2009

Mauritanian Political Deal Moves Election to July

I've only posted occasionally on Mauritania, and barely mentioned their upcoming Presidential election which seemed to be a coronation: the leader of last year's coup running against three minor figures. But now, thanks to Senegalese mediation (after African Union and Libyan and Qatari mediation had all given up), there's a deal. The Presidential election has been shifted to July 18. The President ousted last year will resign and all parties will run in the election. If it works, it may be a sign that regular coups are outmoded in Mauritania as they are in most of the region now. For details you'll find an account here, more on the subject here., and a blog post here.

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