Mauritania votes for change of National flag,scrap of Upper house of Parliament.

President MOHAMED OULD ABDEL AZIZ called the referendum after the Senate rejected his proposals to change the constitution.

He labeled the Senate as a useless and costly institution, adding that the move to abolish it would improve governance by introducing more local forms of lawmaking.

But the controversial referendum was boycotted by the opposition, which accused the President of trying to extend his mandate.

Reports say eighty-five percent of a little above the total voting population in the country voted in support of the constitutional changes.