Mauritania
National Assembly
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Political system
Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
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Presidential-Parliamentary
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Structure of parliament
Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
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Unicameral
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IPU membership
Current membership status
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Yes
Election results
Data on parliamentary elections, including the background, candidates, voter turnout, results and the formation of the new legislature. By default the latest election results are displayed. Select a date to view results from previous elections.
Background
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Election date(s)
The date when elections started and ended for directly or indirectly elected parliaments/chambers. The date of appointments for appointed parliaments/chambers.
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01 Sep 2018 to 15 Sep 2018
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Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature
Date at which the previous legislature (elected at the previous elections) was dissolved.
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No information available
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Timing of election
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry; Early elections; Delayed elections
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No information available
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Number of seats at stake
Number of seats contested at the elections. Where the parliament/chamber is fully renewed, this number is usually identical to the statutory number of members. Where the parliament/chamber is partially renewed or appointed, the number of seats at stake is usually less than the total number of members.
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157
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Scope of elections
Scope of elections: Full renewal; Partial renewal.
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Full renewal
Candidates
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Number of parties contesting the election
This field may include either the number of parties contesting the election, or the number of coalitions/electoral alliance.
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116
Notes: 96 parties and 16 coalitions
Voter turnout
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Registered voters
Number of people registered to vote
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1,417,823
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Voters
Number of people who actually voted
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1,041,199
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Voter turnout
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of people who actually voted by the number of people registered to vote
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73.4%
Results
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About the election
Short description of the context and results of the election.
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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.
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Percentage of seats won by largest party or coalition
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of seats won by the largest party by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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48.4%
Parties or coalitions winning seats
Political group | Total |
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Union for the Republic Party (UPR) | 76 |
National Rally for Reform and Development (Tawassoul) | 16 |
El WIAM party | 10 |
People's Progressive Alliance (APP) | 7 |
El Karam Party | 6 |
Union for Democracy and Progress (UDP) | 6 |
Burst of Youth for the Nation (SURSAUT) | 4 |
Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal (AJD/MR) | 4 |
Ravah Party | 3 |
Unity and Development Party (PUD) | 3 |
EL VADILA Party | 3 |
Democratic Justice Party (PJD) | 2 |
Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal (PRDR) | 2 |
El Islah Party | 1 |
Mauritanian Autheticity Party | 1 |
Dignity and Action Party (PDA) | 1 |
Social-Democratic Unionist Party (PUDS) | 1 |
Democratic People's Party (PPD) | 1 |
Members elected, by sex
- Women Directly Elected
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31
- Sources
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National Assembly (10.10.2018, 14.10.2018)
L'agence Mauritanienne d'information (AMI)
New legislature
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Total number of men after the election
The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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122
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Total number of women after the election
The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
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31
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Percentage of women after the election
The percentage is calculated by dividing the total number of women in this parliament/chamber by the current number of members.
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20.3%
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First-term parliamentarians
The number of members who are assuming their parliamentary mandate for the first time following the election or renewal, regardless of their mode of designation.
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No information available
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Percentage of first-term parliamentarians
The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of first-term parliamentarians by the number of seats at stake in the election.
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No information available
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Date of the first session
The date when the newly elected parliament/chamber was convened for the first time. It may be different from the date when members were sworn in.
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08 Oct 2018
First Speaker of the new legislature
- Personal details for the first Speaker of the new legislature
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Cheikh Ould Baya (Male)
Date of birth: 1954 -
Political party
The political party to which the Speaker belonged to at the moment of the election. In some parliaments, the Speaker suspends or relinquishes their party membership during their term in office and is considered as an independent member.
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Union for the Republic (UPR)
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Date of election
The date of the election of the Speaker may be different from the date of the first session of the new legislature.
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08 Oct 2018