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#Videocrux - A celebrity senator singing tunes of democracy in Mauritania A celebrity senator singing tunes of democracy in Mauritania
Mauritania's more than one million eligible voters go to the polling stations Saturday to choose a new president, a year after a military junta ousted the country's first elected leader in a coup. The opposition hope for a return to true democracy. One of the most vocal campaigners is Malouma, a celebrity singer turned senator.
A senator with a really strong voice
Malouma Mint Meidah, singer and senator, "Every time something happens that isn't normal or that we don't agree with, I write a song to wake people up, to talk about it, to explain it or to reject it. That's my message."
Malouma tackling social taboos with her songs
For the last 20 years, Malouma's songs have tackled society's taboos: love, divorce, slavery and even politics. In June, she took aim the military junta that seized power in a coup last year. It's a risky business. The regime immediately confiscated all the recordings and banned sales of the CDs. Malouma's life was threatened and a bodyguard now shadows her every move.
The senator fighting for women's right
She comes from a family of musicians and a caste called griots. In Mauritania's highly regimented society, griots are usually excluded from politics. Against the odds, Malouma joined the senate two years ago where she keeps up the fight for culture, women's rights and democracy.
Mauritania in need of a real democracy
Malouma, singer and senator, "I hope that we will have a real democracy in Mauritania. Not this democracy that has been created to show other countries. The military have to get out of politics so that Mauritania can truly develop. We really need it. We're tired, tired, tired."

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