Mauritania’s Ruling Party Wins Seats By Sheikh Bekaye Associated Press Writer

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania 27 Oct 2001 (AP) – Mauritania’s ruling
party sealed its hold on the country’s parliament Saturday,
winning most of the remaining seats in a runoff election.

President Maaouya Sid’Ahmed Ould Taya’s ruling Republican
Democratic Party won 10 of the 13 seats that were left undecided
after a first round of voting Oct. 19, the Interior Ministry
announced.

A government-allied party won one seat in Friday’s
runoff election, while the opposition took the last two seats.

The gains give the ruling party 64 of the 81 seats in the National
Assembly. Government-allied parties control six seats while the
opposition has 11 seats.

No violence was reported during the vote.

Mauritania has about 2.5
million inhabitants, a million of whom are registered to vote

.
Ould Taya, who came to power in a 1984 military coup, has been
under pressure to allow more political parties to participate in
government.