El marc polític de Mauritània

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

President: Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019)
Prime Minister: Moctar Ould DIAY (since 2 August 2024)

Next Election Dates

Presidential: June 2029
Legislative: May 2028

Main Political Parties

The main political parties in Mauritania include:

- Equity Party (El Insaf): a rebranding of the Union for the Republic party; it is the main political party in the country, centre-right, liberal
- Union for Democracy and Progress (UDP): centre
- National Rally for Reform and Development (Tewassoul): Islamic democracy, religious conservatism, it is associated with the Mauritanian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood
- Republican Front for Unity and Democracy group (FRUD): centre-left to left-wing
- Dignity Party (El Karama): centre
- National Democratic Alliance (AND): centrist
- Mauritanian Party of Union and Change (HATEM): centre-right to right-wing.

Executive Power

The chief of state is the president elected by a popular vote for a five-year term. The President's executive powers include the command of the armed forces, the right to appoint high-level executives as well as the promulgation and execution of the law. The democratic system has been restored since 2009 following a military coup.

Legislative Power

The legislature in Mauritania is unicameral. The parliament consists of the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya, composed of 176 statutory seats. Out of the total, 88 members are chosen from either one or two seat districts through a two-round majority system, while the remaining 88 members are elected from a single nationwide constituency through proportional representation. Within the nationwide constituency, 20 seats are specifically allocated for female candidates, 11 seats for candidates aged between 25 and 35, and 4 members are directly elected by the diaspora. All members serve 5-year terms.
The President of the Republic may dissolve the National Assembly after consultation with the Prime Minister and the President of the National Assembly.
Until 2017, the parliament had an upper house, the Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh/Sénat), which was abolished following a referendum.