Mauritanian Senate election, 2007
Encyclopedia
Senatorial elections were held in Mauritania
on 21 January 2007 and on 4 February 2007. There are 56 seats in the Senate. The senators were elected by 3,688 municipal councillors, except for three (who represent the Mauritanian diaspora) who were chosen by the elected senators.
The period for the deposit of candidacies ran from 12 December to midnight on 21 December 2006. 187 candidate lists were filed, including 133 for independents and 54 for parties or coalitions. 170 lists were cleared to participate: 118 for independents, 37 for parties and 15 for coalitions. The campaign for the election began at midnight on January 4 and continued through January 19.
38 seats were chosen in the first round; independent
s of the Al-Mithaq
coalition won 23 seats, while the Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal
, which had been the ruling party during the presidency of Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
, only won 3 seats and the opposition Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change
(including the Rally of Democratic Forces
) won 11 seats.
Of the 15 seats decided in the second round, eleven were won by Al-Mithaq independents and four by the CFCD. This resulted in the following totals:
The vote for one seat was cancelled due to irregularities and planned to be held again later. Participation among the councillors who voted in the election was placed at 97.94%. The three senators representing Mauritanians abroad were elected by the Senate on 9 June.
Bâ Mamadou dit M'Baré, a Senator from Maghama
, was elected as President of the Senate on April 26, 2007. 40 Senators voted for Bâ Mamadou dit M'Baré, while 11 voted for Ahmed Salem Ould Bakar, a Senator from Boutilimit
. The other seven members of the bureau of the Senate were elected later on the same day, with 41 votes in favor and 11 against. Néma
Senator Hamma Ould Cheikh Saad Bouh was elected as First Vice-President, Rosso
Senator Mohamed El Hacen Ould El Hadj was elected as Second Vice-President, and Tevragh Zeina Senator Rivaa Mint Ahmed Nalla was elected as Third Vice-President.
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
on 21 January 2007 and on 4 February 2007. There are 56 seats in the Senate. The senators were elected by 3,688 municipal councillors, except for three (who represent the Mauritanian diaspora) who were chosen by the elected senators.
The period for the deposit of candidacies ran from 12 December to midnight on 21 December 2006. 187 candidate lists were filed, including 133 for independents and 54 for parties or coalitions. 170 lists were cleared to participate: 118 for independents, 37 for parties and 15 for coalitions. The campaign for the election began at midnight on January 4 and continued through January 19.
38 seats were chosen in the first round; independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
s of the Al-Mithaq
Al-Mithaq
Al-Mithaq is a the collective name for coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime in Mauritania. Al-Mithaq won in the 19 November and 3 December 2006 National Assembly election 41 out of 95 seats and in the 21 January and 4 February 2007 Senate election 34 out of 56...
coalition won 23 seats, while the Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal
Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal
The Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal is a political party in Mauritania. Formerly known as the Democratic and Social Republican Party , , the grouping has changed its identity and adjusted its political stance following the 2005 coup...
, which had been the ruling party during the presidency of Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya , was Prime Minister of Mauritania from 1981 to 1984 and president from 1984 to 2005. He guided Mauritania from military rule to democracy, and took a pro-Western stance in foreign affairs...
, only won 3 seats and the opposition Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change
Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change
The Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change is a political party in Mauritania.The party won in the 21 January and 4 February 2007 Senate elections 3 out of 56 seats....
(including the Rally of Democratic Forces
Rally of Democratic Forces
The Rally of Democratic Forces is a political party in Mauritania. It is led by Ahmed Ould Daddah.In October 2000, the Union of Democratic Forces-New Era, which was led by Daddah, was dissolved by the government for allegedly inciting violence and harming the country's interests...
) won 11 seats.
Of the 15 seats decided in the second round, eleven were won by Al-Mithaq independents and four by the CFCD. This resulted in the following totals:
The vote for one seat was cancelled due to irregularities and planned to be held again later. Participation among the councillors who voted in the election was placed at 97.94%. The three senators representing Mauritanians abroad were elected by the Senate on 9 June.
Bâ Mamadou dit M'Baré, a Senator from Maghama
Maghama
Maghama is a town and commune in Mauritania....
, was elected as President of the Senate on April 26, 2007. 40 Senators voted for Bâ Mamadou dit M'Baré, while 11 voted for Ahmed Salem Ould Bakar, a Senator from Boutilimit
Boutilimit
Boutilimit lies 164 km south east of Mauritania's capital of Nouakchott. The town has been an important center of religious scholarship and training since its founding by an Islamic mystic and scholar in the 19th Century. Although desertification has sapped much of the community's economic energy,...
. The other seven members of the bureau of the Senate were elected later on the same day, with 41 votes in favor and 11 against. Néma
Néma
Néma is a town in southeastern Mauritania, close to the border with Mali. It is located at around . It is the capital of Hodh Ech Chargui Region and of the Néma Department....
Senator Hamma Ould Cheikh Saad Bouh was elected as First Vice-President, Rosso
Rosso
Rosso is the major city of south-western Mauritania and capital of Trarza region. It is situated on the Senegal River at the head of year-round navigation. The town is 204 km south of the capital Nouakchott...
Senator Mohamed El Hacen Ould El Hadj was elected as Second Vice-President, and Tevragh Zeina Senator Rivaa Mint Ahmed Nalla was elected as Third Vice-President.