# First multiparty presidential election (24 January 1992)

URL: https://allhistories.com/mauritania/timeline/1992-first-multiparty-presidential-election
Location: Nouakchott, Mauritania
Themes: ruler-change

On 24 January 1992 Mauritania held its first presidential election with more than one candidate. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya of the Democratic and Social Republican Party won 62.89 per cent (345,583 votes). Ahmed Ould Daddah of the Union of Democratic Forces took 32.88 per cent, Mustafa Ould Salek 2.86 per cent and Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mah 1.37 per cent. Turnout was 47.37 per cent of 1,183,892 registered voters. Ahmed Ould Daddah won three of the 13 wilayas: Gorgol (50.0 per cent), Guidimaka (50.2 per cent) and Nouakchott (48.6 per cent). Wikipedia's election page mentions no boycott or fraud claims, but the history pages say the opposition called the result fraudulent. Ahmed Ould Daddah's own biography gives 32.73 per cent for the same vote, a small difference between sources. Taya's second term as prime minister ended on 18 April 1992, and Wikipedia says civilian rule returned in April 1992. Most opposition parties boycotted those elections, so the ruling party dominated Parliament for nearly a decade. At this point in the timeline (1992), Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya (12 Dec 1984 – 3 Aug 2005) was head of state, chairing the Military Committee for National Salvation from 1984 to 1992 and serving as elected President afterwards until the coup of 3 August 2005.

## Why it matters
The vote ended military rule on paper, but the incumbent officer, the dominant ruling party and fraud allegations meant that the transition to real competition was incomplete.

Ruler at the Time: [Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya](https://allhistories.com/mauritania/rulers/maaouya-ould-sid-ahmed-taya-1984)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — 1992 Mauritanian presidential election](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_Mauritanian_presidential_election)
- [Wikipedia — Ahmed Ould Daddah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Ould_Daddah)
- [Wikipedia — Politics of Mauritania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Mauritania)