Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
Ould Abdel Aziz was a member of the military junta which ousted President Ould Taya in 2005. Following the 2008 coup, Abdel Aziz became President of the High Council of State as part of what was described as a political transition leading to a new election. He resigned from that post in April 2009 in order to stand as a candidate in the July 2009 presidential election, which he won. He was sworn in on 5 August 2009.