Presidential Election in Mauritania -- Gathering in honor of Zeine Ould Zeidane, director of the Central Bank of Mauritania. Although the economist-politician was unsuccessful in his presidential bid, with only 15.27% of the vote, he was appointed prime minister in April 2007. There were 19 candidates in the first democratic election for Mauritania, a country strategically positioned on the dividing line between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.