Voters in Mali and Mauritania went to the polls over the weekend despite the fear of violence in Mali and boycotts in Mauritania, according to a UPI post. Turnout was somewhat low in both countries.

Boycotts by Islamist groups kept some voters away in Mauritania on Saturday. It was the first election in five years for the country since a coup put Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz in power. Boycotting groups claim Aziz is a dictator who rigged the election. They are angry that Aziz has sided with western governments in fighting terrorists, according to the report.

Even with the low turnout, Aziz is expected to be re-elected. In addition, some 1,500 candidates from 73 political parties are vying for 147 parliamentary seats.

As he cast his ballot, President Abdel Aziz said the opposition lost its parliamentary voice over the past five years, but the door to dialogue would remain open, according to a BBC post.

On Sunday, voters in Mali went to the polls to elect members to the general assembly. Safety concerns kept many away. The country has been plagued with violence as French, Malian and other African forces hunt remaining Al-Qaida militants.

Some voters who stayed away from the polls told the BBC they were dissatisfied with many aspects of the election, such as party members trying to buy votes, ballot boxes stolen by armed men in Timbuktu, and Tuareg separatists smashing car windows with stones in Kidal to keep people from voting.

Meanwhile, a surge of violence in recent weeks left some Malians fearful. After two French journalists were killed in Kidal three weeks ago, opposition parties deemed the area too dangerous to campaign. The city of Gao in the north suffered a rocket attack Thursday.

With all the violence and opposition, some feel that Mali isn’t ready for elections because rebels still control pockets within the country.

European Union observers, however, felt the elections were on track and going well on Sunday.

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said he too was satisfied. The elections, he said, prove that “Mali is standing on its own two feet and moving forward.”