Presidential elections were held in

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

on 7 August 1966. Following the merger of all the country's political parties into the

Mauritanian People's Party Mauritanian People's Party (PPM, ; ) was the sole legal party of Mauritania from 1961 to 1978. It was headed by President Moktar Ould Daddah. Daddah founded the party shortly after Mauritania's independence from France in November 1960 by mergi ...

(PPM), the country had become a

one-party state A one-party state, single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a governance structure in which only a single political party controls the ruling system. In a one-party state, all opposition parties are either outlawed or en ...

in December 1961. Its leader, incumbent President

Moktar Ould Daddah Moktar Ould Daddah (; December 25, 1924 – October 14, 2003) was a Mauritanian politician who served as the country's first President after it gained its independence from France. Moktar served as the country's first List of prime ministers of Ma ...

, was the only candidate, and was re-elected unopposed. Voter turnout was 96%. It was the second presidential elections held in the country after independence. The country had doubled its GDP between 1959 and 1966, but growth in traditional sectors, such as

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

, was negligible. In 1966 there was widespread agitation against the government by Mauritanian Black Africans against imposing Arab education and civil life.

Background

Mauritania came under the direct control of the French Colonial Empire in 1933. After independence on 28 November 1960, the country declared itself the Islamic Republic of Mauritania with Ould Daddah becoming its first President . He declared the country a

in 1964 and in 1965 all parties merged with the ruling Mauritanian Assembly Party to form the

. Between 1961 and 1965, Ould Daddah faced pressure on some of the provinces annexed by the neighboring

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

under Sultan Mohamed V and sought support from the Arab neighbors. He also maintained relations with French government and sought the help to station its troops in Mauritania which would go on until 1966. The government was also facing different issues on development and tribal orientation. During this period, the country lacked its own currency. In 1966 there were widespread agitation against the government by Black Africans against imposing Arab education and civil life. However, Ould was effective in controlling the opposition. Historians consider his rule moving to an extent of dictatorship as both the opposition inside the PPM and across Mauritania were effectively suppressed. From 1959 to 1966, the GDP of the country doubled, but only in mining sector, leaving the traditional sectors such as agriculture and fishing without any growth.

Results

References

External links

{{Mauritanian elections

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Presidential elections in Mauritania One-party elections Single-candidate elections