According to some observers, the two main candidates in Mauritania’s July 18 elections will be two military men: General Abdelaziz and Colonel Vall, whose tenures in power bracketed the aborted term of Mauritania’s deposed President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.

But other candidates are competing too: the Islamist National Rally for Reform and Development (RNRD) will run Jemil Ould Mansour, “a 45-year-old lawmaker [and] the first Islamist candidate since his party was legalised in 2007. He has promoted a tolerant, moderate and democratic Islam that rejects violence.” It will be interesting to see whether Islamists fare any better in Mauritania than they did in Morocco’s local elections last Friday (more here).

Finally, opposition leader Ahmed Ould Daddah “is one of the favourites to win the election.” Ould Daddah has run four times previously.

Meanwhile, the international community is giving mixed signals on the trajectory Mauritania is taking. The United States commended Mauritanian leaders for the power-sharing deal, calling it “a victory for diplomacy and African-led efforts to restore democratic order” and pledging support for “all parties to the agreement.” During General (and presidential candidate) Abdelaziz’s visit to Paris last week, however, no French officials met with him. Nonetheless France has also praised the Dakar agreement. The common thread seems to be that international observers have high hopes for the election, but seem to be lukewarm if not cold toward Abdelaziz.