Government & politics — Mauritania

named for the ancient Kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.), which existed further north in present-day Morocco; the name derives from the Mauri (Moors), the Berber-speaking peoples of northwest Africa

named for the ancient kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.) and the subsequent Roman province (1st-7th centuries A.D.), which existed further north in present-day Morocco; the name derives from the Mauri (Moors), the Berber-speaking peoples of northwest Africa

• history: previous 1964;
• latest adopted 12 July 1991 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of amendments by Parliament requires approval of at least one third of the membership; a referendum is held only if the amendment is approved by two-thirds majority vote; passage by referendum requires simple majority vote by eligible voters; passage of amendments proposed by the president can bypass a referendum if approved by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament; amended 2006, 2012, 2017

• chief of state: President Mohamed Ould
• Prime Minister Moctar Ould DIAY (since 2 August 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominees suggested by the prime minister,
• appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime
• minister appointed by the president most recent election date: 29
• June 2024 election results: 2024: Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (UPR) 56.1%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 22.1%, Hamadi Sidi el MOKHTAR independent) 12.8%, other 9.0% 2019: Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (UPR) 52%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 18.6%, Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBACAR (independent) 17.9%, other 11.5%
• expected date of next election: June 2029

Description

unicameral Parliament or Barlamane consists of the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya (176 seats statutory; 88 members filled from one or two seat constituencies elected by a two-round majority system and the other 88 members filled from a single, nationwide constituency directly elected by proportional representation vote); 20 seats are reserved for women candidates in the nationwide constituency, 11 seats are reserved for young candidates (aged between 25 and 35), and 4 members directly elected by the diaspora; all members serve 5-year terms

Elections

last held in 2 rounds on 13 and 27 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2028)

Election Results

• - National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA
• seats by party - El INSAF 107, Tawassoul 11, UDP 10, FRUD (Republican Front for Unity and Democracy) 7, El Islah (Reformist Party) 6, National Democratic Alliance (AND) 6, El Karama (Dignity Party) 5, Nida Al-Watan 5, Sawab 5, Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal 4, Hiwar 3, Mauritanian Party for Union and Change (HATEM) 3, El Vadila (Party of Virtue) 2, Union for Planning and Construction (UPC) 1, Party of the Mauritanian Masses (Hakam) 1;

Composition

men, 135, women 41, percent of women elected 23.3%

Note

• the early parliamentary elections in 2023 were the first to be held under President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, elected in 2019 in a first peaceful transition of power
• the elections followed the agreement between the government and parties in September 2022 to renew the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and hold the elections in the first semester of 2023 for climatic and logistical reasons

• Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (subdivided into 7 chambers: 2 civil, 2 labor, 1 commercial, 1 administrative, and 1 criminal, each with a chamber president and 2 councilors); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members); High Court of Justi
• ce (consists of 9 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic to serve a 5-year renewable term; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, 1 by the prime minister, 1 by the leader of the democratic opposition, 1 by the largest opposition party in the National Assembly, and 1 by the second largest party in the National Assembly; members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years; High Court of Justice members appointed by Parliament - 6 by the ruling Coalition of Ma
• jority Parties and 3 by opposition parties subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; courts of first instance or wilya courts are established in the regions' headquarters and include commercial and labor courts, criminal courts, Moughataa (district) Courts, and informal/customary courts

15 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott Nord, Nouakchott Ouest, Nouakchott Sud, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

• Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR]
• El Insaf or Equity Party [Mohamed Melainine Ould EYIH]
• El Islah Party [Mohamed Ould TALEBNA]
• El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]
• El Vadila [Ethmane Ould Cheikh Ahmed Eboul MEALY]
• FRUD (Republican Front for Unity and Democracy) [Kadiata Malick DIALLO]
• Mauritanian Party of Union and Change (HATEM) [Saleh Ould HANENNA]
• National Democratic Alliance or AND [Yacoub Ould MOINE]
• National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD or TAWASSOUL [Hamadi Ould Sidi MOKHTAR]
• Nida El-Watan [Daoud Ould Ahmed AICHA]
• Party for Conciliation and Prosperity or HIWAR [Valle Mint Mini]
• Party of the Mauritanian Masses (Hakam) [El Khalil Ould ENNAHOUI]
• Sawab Party [Ahmed Salem Ould HORMA]
• Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
• Union of Planning and Construction (UPC) [Qari Ould Mohamed ABDALLAHI]
• Note: only parties with seats in the National Assembly listed

• no citizenship by descent only: at least one paren
• no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Cynthia KIERSCHT (since 27 January 2021) embassy: Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott mailing address: 2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC 20521-2430

telephone

[222] 4525-2660

FAX

[222] 4525-1592

Email address and website

• consularnkc@state.gov
• https://mr.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission

Ambassador BOIDE Cisse (since 15 September 2021)

chancery

2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 232-5700

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2623

Email address and website

• ambarimwash@gmail.com