- Title: Mauritania votes in contentious referendum to bolster president's power
- Date: 5th August 2017
- Summary: VARIOUS OF REFERENDUM POSTER SHOWING MAURITANIAN PRESIDENT, MOHAMED OULD ABDEL AZIZ, AND READING (French): "Headquarters of the campaign: Yes to the Constitution amendments".
- Embargoed: 19th August 2017 22:58
- Keywords: Referendum in Mauritania people voting president voting President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz Mauritania referendum
- Location: NOUAKCHOTT, MAURITANIA
- City: NOUAKCHOTT, MAURITANIA
- Country: Mauritania
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0026SVQVD3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Mauritania held a contentious referendum on Saturday (August 5) to alter the constitution amid widespread opposition claims that the vote is a ploy to increase presidential power.
Tension has mounted in the lead-up to the referendum which called for the abolition of the senate and the merging of other key institutions, though the capital Nouakchott was calm on Saturday.
The opposition, concerned that the vote will give President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz too much power and pave the way for him to scrap presidential term limits, has boycotted the vote.
Mauritania has never had a peaceful transfer of power and senior officials have raised concerns by speaking in favour of lifting term limits, currently set at two five-year terms. Abdel Aziz last year said that he had no plans to extend the presidential mandate. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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