National Rally for Reform and Development

The National Rally for Reform and Development (Arabic: التجمع الوطني للإصلاح و التنمية, romanized: at-tajammuʿ al-waṭani lil iṣlāḥ wat-tanmiya, French: Rassemblement Nationale pour la Réforme et le Développement), often known by its shortened Arabic name Tewassoul (Arabic: تواصل, romanized: Tawāṣṣul) or by the abbreviation of its French name (RNRD), is an Islamist political party in Mauritania. The party is associated with the Mauritanian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.[2]

National Rally for Reform and Development
التجمع الوطني للإصلاح و التنمية
Rassemblement Nationale pour la Réforme et le Développement
AbbreviationTewassoul
RNRD
PresidentHamadi Ould Sidi Mokhtar
Founded2007
Preceded byCentrist Reformists
HeadquartersNouakchott, Mauritania
MembershipIncrease 130,000 (2022)[1]
IdeologySunni Islamism
Islamic democracy
Religious conservatism
International affiliationMuslim Brotherhood
Parliamentary groupTewassoul group
National Assembly
11 / 176
Regional councils
36 / 285
Mayors
7 / 238
Website
www.tewassoul.mr

As a result of the 2013, 2018 and 2023 parliamentary election Tewassoul has become the second largest political party in Mauritania.[3]

History

The roots of Tewassoul go back to the Islamic Movement that began to be organized in Mauritania in 1975, being based on the ideas of the Muslim Brotherhood, but it remained an unauthorized secret political movement due to the different authoritarian regimes in Mauritania's history.[1]

The Islamists were prevented from licensing any political party even after the introduction of multi-party politics in the 1990s. Nevertheless, the Islamic Movement remained present as a significant force in the local political arena, especially with its rejection of the diplomatic ties established between Mauritania and Israel between 1999 and 2009.[1]

After the 2005 coup, and the overthrow of the regime of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, the Islamists tried to register a political party, but the military council leading the transitional phase rejected their request, which prompted them to launch the “Initiative of Moderate Reformists” on November 23, 2005, which enabled them to enter parliament and win some municipalities as independents in the 2006 elections.[1]

The "Centrist Reformists" (successors of the Initiative of Moderate Reformists) endorsed Saleh Ould Hanenna in the first round of the 2007 presidential election, with them backing Ahmed Ould Daddah in the second round. The winner of the 2007 election, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, finally granted the Mauritanian Islamists a legal political party in 2007.[1]

Leadership

President

  • Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour (2007–25 December 2017)
  • Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Seyidi (25 December 2017–25 December 2022)[4]
  • Hamadi Ould Sidi Mokhtar (25 December 2022–)[5]

Electoral performance

President of Mauritania

President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Election year Candidate 1st round 2nd round Result Winning candidate
Votes  % Rank Votes  % Rank
2009 Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour 36,864 4.74 4th Lost Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
2014 Boycotted
2019 Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar 165,995 17.87 3rd Lost Mohamed Ould Ghazouani

National Assembly

National Assembly
Election Party leader National list Seats +/– Government
Votes  %
2013 Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour 81,744 13.68%
16 / 146
Increase 16 Opposition
2018 Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Seyidi 79,283 11.28%
14 / 157
Decrease 2 Opposition
2023 Hamadi Ould Sidi Mokhtar 99,431 10.24%
11 / 176
Decrease 3 Opposition

References

  1. ""تواصل" يعقد مؤتمره الرابع.. ويحتفي بـ 30 ألف منتسب جديد" [Tewassoul holds its fourth conference... and celebrates 30,000 new members]. SaharaMedias (in Arabic). 24 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  2. Thurston, Alex (1 March 2012). "Mauritania's Islamists". Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  3. "Mauritania's ruling party wins majority parliament". Washington Post. 17 September 2018. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018.
  4. "إسلاميو موريتانيا ينتخبون رئيسا جديدا لحزبهم" [Mauritanian Islamists elect a new president for their party]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 25 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  5. "إسلاميو موريتانيا يختارون رئيسا جديدا لحزبهم" [Mauritanian Islamists choose a new president for their party]. SaharaMedias (in Arabic). 25 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.


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