2013 Mauritanian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Mauritania on 23 November. The opposition has vowed to boycott the election unless the president steps down beforehand.[1] A total of 1,096 candidates have registered to compete for the leadership of 218 local councils across Mauritania, whilst 438 candidates are contesting for the 146 parliamentary seats. Some 1.2 million Mauritanians were eligible to vote in the election.[2] The first round results yielded a landslide victory for the ruling UPR winning 56 seats and their 14 coalition partners winning 34 seats. The Islamist Tewassoul party won 12 seats. The remaining seats were contested in a runoff on 21 December 2013.[3] The UPR won the majority with 75 seats in the Assembly.[4]

2013 Mauritanian parliamentary election
Mauritania
23 November 2013 (first round)
21 December 2013 (second round)

All 146 seats in the National Assembly
74 seats needed for a majority
Turnout73.90% (Increase0.48pp)
PartyLeader % Seats +/–
UPR M. Mahmoud Ould M. Lemine 21.34 75 New
Tewassoul Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour 13.68 16 New
APP Messaoud Ould Boulkheir 7.48 7 +2
PSJN Lalla Mint Cheriva 4.30 4 New
El Wiam Boïdel Ould Houmeit 3.83 10 New
UDP Naha Mint Mouknass 3.42 6 +3
AJD/MR Ibrahima Moctar Sarr 2.61 4 New
El Karama Cheikhna Ould Hajbou 2.54 6 New
El Vadila Ethmane Ould Eboul Mealy 2.32 3 New
PUD Mohamed Baro 2.30 3 New
PAM Med. Mahmoud O. El Gharachi 1.85 1 New
PUDS Mahfoudh Ould El Azizi 1.60 1 0
El Ravah Mohamed Ould Vall 1.40 3 New
PRDR Sidi Med. Ould Mohamed Vall 1.40 3 -4
PJD 1.39 1 New
PDA El Hadrami Ould Ahmed 1.07 1 New
PPD Cheikh Ahmed Ould Ebnou 0.66 1 New
El Islah Sidna Ould Maham 0.66 1 New
Prime Minister before Prime Minister-designate
Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf
Independent (UPR)
Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf
Independent (UPR)

Background

The elections were originally set for 1 October 2011, then delayed several times to 16 October 2011, 31 March 2012, May 2012, October 2013 and November/December 2013, due to continuous disputes between the government and opposition parties.[5]

Electoral system

The 146 members of the National Assembly are elected by two methods (with Mauritanians being able to cast three different votes in a parallel voting system); 106 are elected from single- or multi-member electoral districts based on the departments (or moughataas) that the country is subdivided in (with the exception of Nouakchott, with the nine departments of the city being treated as a single 18-seat electoral district) using either the two-round system or proportional representation; in single-member constituencies candidates require a majority of the vote to be elected in the first round and a plurality in the second round. In two-seat constituencies, voters vote for a party list (which must contain one man and one woman); if no list receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a second round is held, with the winning party taking both seats. In constituencies with three or more seats, closed list proportional representation is used, with seats allocated using the largest remainder method.[6] For three-seat constituencies, party lists must include a female candidate in first or second on the list; for larger constituencies a zipper system is used, with alternate male and female candidates.[6]

The other 40 seats are elected from a single nationwide constituency, also using closed list proportional representation, with half elected on a newly introduced separate list reserved for women.[6]

Contesting parties

A total of 74 parties took part.[7] Tewassoul was the only member of the 11 party opposition alliance known as the Coordination of the Democratic Opposition (COD) to take part.[7] The COD's boycott had been criticised by the ruling UPR, with Ould Mohamed Lemine saying such action was unjustifiable "in view of the political and electoral reforms accomplished."[8]

The main contestants are seen to be the UPR, Tewassoul, and the People's Progressive Alliance.[7]

Campaign

The two-week campaign period began on Friday 8 November. The beginning of the campaign was greeted with fireworks, car honking, and loud music in the streets, in the capital of Nouakchott.[8]

Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Mohamed Lemine called for Mauritanians to give the Union for the Republic a majority in parliament so that they could support the program of President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.[2] The UPR is also the only party fielding a contestant in every constituency.[7] The UPR has also criticized Tewassoul for its links to the Muslim Brotherhood, and has called for the movement to dissociate itself from Islamists elsewhere.[7]

Tewassoul has described its participation as a struggle against what it deems the dictatorship of President Mohamed Oul Abdel Aziz,[7] and Party President Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour has called for a huge turnout by Tewassoul supporters.[8]

Thousands of supporters of the COD marched in Nouakchott on 6 November to protest against the election.[8]

Results

President Ould Abdel Aziz's party, the Union for the Republic (UPR), secured a one-seat majority in its first ever election; while the Islamist National Rally for Reform and Development secured 16 seats, becoming the second largest political force in Mauritania and leading the opposition.

Party National PR seats Women's seats Constituency seats Total
seats
First round Second round
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
Union for the Republic127,58021.344138,65124.745299,60539.2144124,65655.112275
Tewassoul81,74413.68388,01415.703102,40413.4631,10313.75416
People's Progressive Alliance44,7007.48253,6109.57255,8747.3139,9874.4207
Burst of Youth for the Nation25,7064.3134,8506.22154,8577.18212,9345.7204
El Wiam22,8883.83132,1425.74159,8477.83611,3695.03210
Union for Democracy and Progress20,4703.42125,5394.56125,8283.3848,4583.7406
APJD/MPR15,5772.61118,0293.22113,0681.7124
El Karam15,1932.54121,6493.86125,9223.3945,0022.2106
El Vadila13,8932.32114,0262.5018,9151.1713
Party of Unity and Development13,7482.30117,3113.09123,1533.03114,7526.5203
Party of Mauritanian Authenticity11,0721.8511
Socialist Democratic Unionist Party9,5511.6011
Ravah Party8,3781.4019,0911.6214,7520.6213
Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal8,3671.40114,1702.5315,0820.6713
Democratic Justice Party8,2861.3908,6911.5511
Sawab7,1801.2007,6991.3706,6480.8700
Dignity and Action Party6,3851.0705,4640.9703,6450.4811
National El Inma Party6,0731.0204,3020.7701,9640.2600
Democratic Renovation6,0021.0008,2161.4705,1050.6700
People's Rally Party5,1690.8608460.1100
Popular Front5,1230.8602,8790.3800
Democratic Social Union Party5,1080.8506,3981.1400
Partie Congre de Mauritanie4,8600.8104,8200.8601,4140.1900
Democratic Socialist Party4,8190.810620.0100
Mauritanian Hope Party4,7660.8006,1341.0901,5710.2100
PMRC4,6150.7704,1960.7501,2610.1700
Mauritanian Party for Renewal4,1720.7000
RNLDE Party4,0730.6800
Democratic Peace and Progress Party4,0590.6800
Shura Party for Development4,0000.6708210.1100
Democratic People's Party3,9690.6602,0720.2711
El Islah3,8850.6603,8530.6902,6630.3511
Rally for Equality Party3,7030.6200
People's Democratic Party3,6000.6007610.1000
Mauritanian Liberal Democratic Party3,4590.5800
Rally for Unity Party3,3850.5702,8560.5102,6290.3400
National Agreement Party3,2960.5504640.0600
Parti RibatDémocratique et Social3,1070.5107,4901.3402,8050.3700
PMC and CPR Coalition3,0570.5106,3331.1300
National Union for Democracy and Development3,0310.5104470.0600
Mauritanian People's Movement Party2,8650.4800
Democratic Consultation Party2,8610.4804,6630.8301,8320.2400
Dialogue and Democracy Party2,7890.4700
Equity and Defence of Right Party2,7810.4700
Union for the Construction of Mauritania2,7070.4504,5880.8201,1040.1400
Third Generation Party2,6230.4401,3810.1800
Democratic Union of Youth2,6020.4407060.0900
Civilisation and Development Party2,4900.4203,4780.6201,7640.2300
Alliance for Democracy in Mauritania2,4790.4101,8170.2400
National Democratic Union2,3070.4100
Direct Democracy Union2,2660.3801,7560.2300
Mauritanian Party for Reform and Equality2,1630.3606620.0900
Union of the Democratic Center2,1230.3605060.0700
Party of Labour and Equality1,9430.3301,3060.1700
New Vision Party1,5810.2600
Mauritanian Party for Democracy and Prosperity1,5470.2601910.0200
Mauritanian Party for Justice and Democracy1,3450.2304,1720.7406140.0800
Coalition of Mauritanians for the Fatherland1,1170.1900
Mauritanian Party for Justice and Development1,2340.1600
Party for a Contemporary Mauritania1,1670.1500
Union of Social Forces1,0060.1300
Rally of National Youth9250.1200
Generation of a Democratic Future Party6810.0900
Social Democratic Party500.0100
Wava Mauritanian Party350.0000
Coalitions28,0453.6707,9433.5100
Invalid/blank votes300,005288,476130,26417,794
Total878,69310020848,91110020894,41010078243,99810028146
Registered voters/turnout1,189,10573.901,189,10571.391,179,38475.84311,94078.22
Source: CENI

Aftermath

Following the first round of voting, on 23 November, Tewassoul president Jemil Ould Mansour claimed at a party news conference that the party had found "serious irregularities" including ballot stuffing and voting being carried out after the count. Mansour claimed these irregularities could discredit the election, and stated that the party had sent a delegation to the electoral commission to complain. He did not say which parties he believed to have benefited from the alleged irregularities.[9]

References

  1. "Mauritania calls elections for October 12". AFP. Noukachott: Fox News. 3 August 2013.
  2. "Mauritania - Campaign for 147 Legislative Seats Underway". all Africa. 11 November 2013.
  3. "Mauritania ruling party stays on top". 6 December 2013.
  4. "Mauritania's ruling party wins legislative polls". 22 December 2013.
  5. "Mauritania: Parliamentary and local elections postponed indefinitely". AFP. Noukachott. 25 August 2011.
  6. Electoral system IPU
  7. Ould Sadi, Hademine (21 November 2013). "Sink or swim for Mauritania's Islamists". IOL News.
  8. "Mauritania election campaign underway despite opposition boycott". AFP. Nouakchott: Yahoo News. 8 November 2013.
  9. "Mauritania election 'marred by ballot-stuffing'". Agence France-Presse. Global Post. 25 November 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
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