Mauritanian expatriates not allowed voting in presidential election
Mauritania, Politics, 10/9/2003

The Mauritanian nationals living abroad will not be allowed to vote in next presidential election, set for November 7, announced in Nouakchott Wednesday the Mauritanian Interior ministry.

Spokesman for the ministry, Abdi Ould Hormah, told a news conference that the 1987 electoral code does not allow Mauritanian expatriates to vote because this code was initially adopted to organize local elections not presidential ones and has not been modified ever since.

On the decision to forbid to Mauritanian intellectuals and politicians to set up an "observatory to follow up elections," the spokesman said his country's constitution does not provide for the creation of associations and organizations, stressing that the presidential election will be held in total transparency and neutrality of the administration.

Last week, the Mauritanian Government said it was not opposed to the presence of international observers to monitor this election.

It said the number of voters on electoral lists had reached one million seven thousand people who will have to chose between the six candidates.(MAP)MK

Previous Stories:
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  Mauritania opposition call for not voting for Weld Taye'   (9/8/2003)

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