Presidential elections were held in Mauritania on 11 March 2007. As no candidate received a majority of the votes, a second round was held on 25 March between the top two candidates, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and Ahmed Ould Daddah. Abdallahi won the second round with about 53% of the vote and took office in April. The 2007 election followed a military coup in August 2005 that ousted long-time President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya. The head of the junta, Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, said that he and the other members of the junta would not run for president in the election, which marks the last stage of the transition to civilian rule. Campaign First round 21 candidates registered to run for president of which 19 were approved to contest the election. Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who served as a minister under Moktar Ould Daddah during the 1970s and briefly under Ould Taya in the 1980s, announced his candidacy for president on July 4, 2006. Ba Mamadou Alassane, President of the Party for Freedom, Equality and Justice (PLEJ), announced his candidacy on July 19, 2006. The former head of the Central Bank, Zeine Ould Zeidane, announced his candidacy on December 18, 2006. Dahane Ould Ahmed Mahmoud announced his candidacy on December 23. Former military ruler Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla, who came in second place, behind Taya, in the 2003 presidential election, announced his candidacy on December 27. On January 2, 2007, Mohamed Ould Maouloud, President of the Union of the Forces of Progress, was designated as his party's candidate. Former coup attempt leader Saleh Ould Hanenna was chosen by his party, the Mauritanian Party for Union and Change (HATEM), as its candidate on January 9. Ahmed Ould Daddah, the half-brother of Moktar Ould Daddah and the leader of the Rally of Democratic Forces — part of the Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change, which took a large portion of seats in the November–December 2006 parliamentary election — announced his candidacy on January 12. Another former coup attempt leader, Mohamed Ould Cheikhna, announced his candidacy on January 14. On January 20, Messaoud Ould Boulkheir, President of the People's Progressive Alliance (APP), announced his candidacy. Chbih Ould Cheikh Melainine announced on February 3 that he was withdrawing his candidacy and backing Haidalla, but he was not allowed to officially withdraw his candidacy, although according to Melainine he had requested the withdrawal two days