President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz’s Union for the Republic Party (UPR) and its allies won the majority in the 157-member National Assembly (see note 1). Among the opposition forces, Tawassoul, an Islamist party led by Mr. Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour, came first with 14 seats. The National Forum for Democracy and Unity (FNDU, see note 2), led by Mr. Mohamed Ould Maouloud, also entered the National Assembly along with the ADIL party (National Pact for Democracy and Development), led by former Prime Minister Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef, and the People's Progressive Alliance (APP), led by former Speaker Messaoud Ould Boulkheir.

The 2018 elections were the first to be held after the abolition of the Senate in 2017 in a constitutional referendum (see note 3). Prior to the elections, the opposition coalition FNDU demanded the dissolution of the election commission. It criticized the composition of the election commission (made up of representatives from the presidential majority and "moderate" opposition) and the audit of the electoral roll.

During the election campaign, President Aziz called on voters to give the UPR an overwhelming majority so as to continue Government’s development projects and programmes. The Democratic Opposition's Electoral Alliance (Ceod), which groups "radical" opposition parties, accused the Government of organizational problems and "massive fraud", an allegation that the Government denied. The observer mission from the African Union stated the problems did not affect the credibility of the elections.

Note 1:
The statutory number increased from 147 to 157 in accordance with the organic law adopted by the National Assembly in January 2018. It includes 4 seats reserved for Mauritanians abroad (1 seat each for Africa, Asia, Europe and America).

Note 2:
The FNDU, which boycotted the previous elections in 2013, is made up of several political parties—including the Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD, led by Ahmed Ould Daddah), the Democratic Convergence (CD), SAWAB and the National Union for Democratic Change (UNAD)—as well as civil society organizations, trade unions and independent persons.

Note 3:
President Aziz had announced the referendum on abolition of the Senate in May 2016, stating that the Senate slowed down the law making process. In March 2017, the National Assembly adopted constitutional amendments including the abolition of the Senate, which the Senate rejected. Opposition groups strongly opposed the proposed constitutional amendments, arguing that they would remove crucial checks on power and pave the way for President Aziz to run for a third term in 2019.
In August 2017, 53.75% of nearly 1.4 million registered voters turned out at the referendum. Over 85% of them approved the constitutional amendments including the abolition of the Senate. The power of the Senate was transferred to the National Assembly after the President signed into law the amendments later in the same month.
The Senate, which had been elected in 2007, was due to be renewed by one-third in 2009, 2011 and 2013 but indirect elections were successively delayed. Although the Constitutional Court ordered the full renewal of the Senate in 2016, Senate elections were not held before its abolition in 2017.