Mauritania Holds Historic Elections
November 28, 2006

On November 19, Mauritania held its first elections since a military junta seized power in August 2005; the local, regional, and legislative contests also mark a power transition after more than two decades of an authoritarian one-party rule.  Election results report that although 52% of the parliament seats will need to be decided in the second-round of elections, “a coalition of former opposition parties” currently has captured the largest number of seats (Reuters).

The peaceful elections mark the transition to democracy after the junta took power in a bloodless coup in 2005.  Then called the Military Council for Justice and Democracy, the organization staged a coup to end the 21-year rule of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, who had himself come to power in a military coup in 1984.  During the first years of Sid'Ahmed Taya’s reign political parties were banned; however, they were legalized in 1991 and Mauritania was allowed to hold its first elections the following year.  Despite the electoral process, the parliament continued to be dominated by Sid'Ahmed Taya’s former political party and he won reelection to the presidency in 2003.  Challenging Sid'Ahmed Taya’s 21-year rule, the Military Council for Justice and Democracy took control in 2005 and pledged to organize democratic elections and relinquish power to elected officials within two years.  In June 2006, Mauritanians approved a new constitution which limits the tenure of the President to two terms and when the presidential election is held in March 2007, the military junta’s turnover of power will be complete. 

Mauritania’s transition to democracy is similar to several of its sub-Saharan neighbors Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, in that Mauritania, like the others before it, is “introducing elections as part of a transition to democracy after military officers ousted authoritarian regimes or took over after their leader died" (IRIN). Mauritania and Mali are also similar in that they are both predominately Muslim countries.
  
International observers have declared the Mauritanian elections free and fair, though they have raised concerns about the “lack of voter education that led to many people inadvertently spoiling their ballots.”  The use of proportional representation, several national party lists, and multiple levels of elections were said to be somewhat confusing for an electorate which has not been able to frequently exercise the right to vote. However, EU observers have praised the transparency of the elections. In addition, a new parity law in the country declares that 20% of those elected must be women by making parties’ alternate male and female candidates on their national lists.

A large number of political independents ran in the elections; some were “encouraged by the military junta to offer an alternative to established parties, [others] were a mixture of dissidents from the former ruling Republic Party for Democracy and Renewal (PDRS) party, Islamists, and genuine independent politicians" (Reuters).  A large number of Islamist candidates were forced to run as political independents because the Mauritanian “constitution outlaws the use of Islam for political purposes" (Reuters).  However, some voters believe that many independents still represent the interests of the former established parties, including Sid'Ahmed Taya’s former party, but are simply running under a different name. 

The second round of elections will take place on December 3rd as parties struggle to establish a majority in the parliament, but many already believe that the new government will be consensual.  One official affirms this prediction, saying that “Mauritania will be governed by a coalition and parties will have to lay aside their old differences" (Reuters).

Other sources:
http://za.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-11-23T062636Z_01_BAN323182_RTRIDST_0_OZATP-MAURITANIA-ELECTION-20061123.XML

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6155040.stm

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=86&art_id=qw1164055681788B256

http://somalinet.com/news/world/English/4976