 | Mauritania: Encyclopedia II - Mauritania - Politics
Mauritania - Politics
Mauritania's presidential election, its third since adopting the democratic process in 1992, took place on November 7, 2003. Six candidates, including Mauritania's first female and first Haratine (former slave family) candidates, represented a wide variety of political goals and backgrounds. Incumbent President Maaouya Sid'Ahmed Taya won reelection with 67.02% of the popular vote, according to official figures, with second-place finisher Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla.
The PRDS, led by President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, has dominated Mauritanian politics since the country's first multi-party elections in April 1992 following the approval by referendum of the current constitution in July 1991. President Taya, who won elections in 1992 and 1997, first became chief of state through a December 12, 1984 bloodless coup which made him chairman of the committee of military officers that governed Mauritania from July 1978 to April 1992. The country's first president, Moktar Ould Daddah, served from independence until ousted in a bloodless coup on July 10, 1978. A group of current and former Army officers launched a bloody but unsuccessful coup attempt on June 8, 2003. The ringleaders remain at large, and their exact motives remain unclear.
Politics in Mauritania have always been heavily influenced by personalities, with any leader's ability to exercise political power dependent upon control over resources; perceived ability or integrity; and tribal, ethnic, family, and personal considerations. Conflict between white Moor, black Moor, and non-Moor ethnic groups, centering on language, land tenure, and other issues, continues to be the dominant challenge to national unity.
The government bureaucracy is composed of traditional ministries, special agencies, and parastatal companies. The Ministry of Interior spearheads a system of regional governors and prefects modeled on the French system of local administration. Under this system, Mauritania is divided into 13 regions (wilaya), including the capital district, Nouakchott. Control is tightly concentrated in the executive branch of the central government, but a series of national and municipal elections since 1992 have produced some limited decentralization.
Political parties, illegal during the military period, were legalized again in 1991. By April 1992, as civilian rule returned, 16 major political parties had been recognized; 12 major political parties were active in 2004. Most opposition parties boycotted the first legislative election in 1992, and for nearly a decade the parliament has been dominated by the PRDS. The opposition participated in municipal elections in January-February 1994 and subsequent Senate elections, most recently in April 2004, gaining representation at the local level as well as three seats in the Senate.
Mauritania, along with Morocco, illegally annexed the territory of Western Sahara in 1976, with Mauritania taking the lower one-third. After several military losses to Polisario, Mauritania retreated in 1979, and their claims were taken by Morocco. Due to economic weakness, Mauritania has been a negligible player in the territorial dispute, with its official position being that it wishes for an expedient solution that is mutually agreeable to all parties.
Mauritania - Military coup
On August 3, 2005, it was reported that the Mauritanian military, including members of the presidential guard, had seized control of key points in the capital of Nouakchott, indicating a possible coup against the government of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya who was out of the country, attending the funeral of Saudi King Fahd. The group of officers, calling itself the Military Council for Justice and Democracy, released the following statement:
The national armed forces and security forces have unanimously decided to put a definitive end to the oppressive activities of the defunct authority, which our people have suffered from during the past years. (BBC)
The Military Council later issued another statement naming its president, Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall and listing 16 other officers as members.
The Colonel was himself once regarded as a firm ally of the now ousted President, even aiding him in the original coup that brought him to power, and serving as his security chief afterwards. This high-level betrayal of the former president suggests broad discontentment within the branches of local government, which is further supported by the seemingly complete lack of bloodshed.
The coup was condemned by most world authorities, but local political parties express hope that the Military Council will remain true to its word, and end its leadership after two years — hopefully leading to a democratic government.[4].
In response to the coup and in keeping with their own rules, the African Union suspended Mauritania from all organizational activities.
On August 10, The United States and the African Union dropped demands that the coup be reversed. However the African Union did not reverse the suspension, citing a need for elections before re-admittance.[5]
The Military Council has subsequently released 115 political prisoners of the former government[6] and authorized the return of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya and some 300 of his political supporters.[7]
Other related archives1978, 1992, 1997, 2003, 2005, Adrar, Adrar Plateau, Africa, African Union, Algeria, Almoravid, Arabs, Aristocrat, Army, Assaba, Atar, Atlantic Ocean, August 3, Bafours, Beni Hassan, Berber, Berbers, Brakna, Communications in Mauritania, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, French colonization, French language, Ghana, Ghana Empire, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hassaniya, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Incumbent, Islam in Mauritania, Islamic, July 10, Kaédi, King Fahd, List of cities in Mauritania, Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauretania, Mediterranean, Military of Mauritania, Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla, Moktar Ould Daddah, Moorish, Moroccan, Morocco, Music of Mauritania, North Africa, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, November 7, Polisario, Political parties, Portugal, Rosso, Sahara, Saudi, Senate, Senegal, Senegal River, Soninke, Spain, Status of religious freedom in Mauritania, Tagant, Tidjikdja, Tiris Zemmour, Transportation in Mauritania, Trarza, Western Sahara, Yemeni, annexed, bureaucracy, capital district, castes, constitution, coup, decentralization, decimal-based currency, democratic, ethnic, government, haratin, khoums, military, nomadic, ouguiya, political parties, politics, presidential election, referendum, regions, schism, slave
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Politics", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
