2006 Mauritanian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Mauritania on 19 November 2006, with a second round on 3 December.[1][2] At least 28 political parties competed for seats in the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament. Islamist parties were banned, but many Islamists ran as independent candidates.[3] 95 seats in the National Assembly were at stake in the election, along with over 200 local councils.[3]

2006 Mauritanian parliamentary election
Mauritania
← 2001 19 November 2006 (first round)
3 December 2006 (second round)
2013 →

All 95 seats in the National Assembly
48 seats needed for a majority
Turnout73.42% (Increase18.97pp)
Party Leader Seats +/–
RFD Ahmed Ould Daddah 16 +13
UFP Mohamed Ould Maouloud 9 +6
PRDR Sidi Mohamed Ould Mohamed Vall 7 −57
APP Messaoud Ould Boulkheir 6 +2
RDU Ahmed Ould Sidi Baba 3 0
UDP Naha Mint Mouknass 3 0
HATEM Saleh Ould Hanenna 3 New
RD Moustapha Ould Abeiderrahmane 2 New
Alternative Med. Yehdih O. El Moctar El Hassen 1 New
RNLDE Sidi Med. Haidra O. Ahmed Salem 1 New
FP Med. Lemine Ch'bih O. C. Melainine 1 0
PUDS Mahfoudh Ould El Azizi 1 +1
UCD Cheikh Sid'Ahmed Ould Baba 1 New
Independents 41 +41
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Prime Minister before Prime Minister-designate
Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar
PRDS
Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar
Independent

About 600 independent candidates ran in the election, many of whom were grouped into the National Rally of Independents (RNI). Many members of the RNI were formerly members of the Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS), which had ruled the country under President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya.[4]

Results

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Before the first round's count was complete, Ahmed Ould Daddah claimed victory for his party, the Rally of Democratic Forces (RFD), saying that it was "the country's biggest political force", and claiming that the eight-party coalition including the RFD had won a majority. The People's Progressive Alliance (APP), a party for former slaves that is also part of the coalition, and the renamed former ruling party, the Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal, were also reported to have performed well.[5]

Results from the first round confirmed a strong showing for the RFD, which won 12 out of the 43 declared seats;[3][6] independent candidates also did well, taking 24 seats.[6] For 52 seats, however, candidates did not receive majorities and these seats had to be decided in the second round.[3][6] After the second round was held on 3 December, the coalition of former opposition parties had 39 seats (including 15 for the RFD), with an additional two seats for independents supporting the coalition. Independents won 41 seats, 39 of which were part of the RNI. The former ruling party won seven seats.[4]

17.89% of the deputies elected were female.[4]

Messaoud Ould Boulkheir of the APP was elected as President of the National Assembly on April 26, 2007. There were 93 deputies present for the vote, and 91 of them voted for Ould Boulkheir; two other deputies, Babah Ould Ahmed Babou and El Arbi Ould Jideyne, each received one vote.[7]

PartyFirst roundSecond roundTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Rally of Democratic Forces12315
Union of the Forces of Progress358
Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal437
People's Progressive Alliance415
Rally for Democracy and Unity213
Union for Democracy and Progress123
APPHATEM022
Democratic Renovation202
Mauritanian Party of Union and Change202
RFPUFP022
Alternative011
National Rally for Democracy, Liberty and Equality101
Popular Front101
Socialist Democratic Unionist Party101
Union of the Democratic Center011
Independents103141
Total435295
Valid votes665,31384.43412,54693.80
Invalid/blank votes122,71615.5727,2896.20
Total votes788,029100.00439,835100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,073,28773.42632,95669.49
Source: IPU

References

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