Union for Democracy and Progress

The Union for Democracy and Progress (Arabic: الاتحاد من أجل الديمقراطية والتقدم, romanizedal-ittiḥād min ajl ad-dīmuqrāṭiya wat-taqaddum, French: Union pour la démocratie et le progrès, UDP) is a political party in Mauritania. The UDP is led by Naha Mint Mouknass.[1][2][3] As of 2023, the UDP has 10 seats in the National Assembly of Mauritania.[4]

Union for Democracy and Progress
الاتحاد من أجل الديمقراطية والتقدم
Union pour la démocratie et le progrès
PresidentNaha Mint Mouknass
FounderHamdi Ould Mouknass
Founded11 June 1993
HeadquartersNouakchott
Political positionCentre
National affiliationCoordination of Parties of the Majority
International affiliationCentrist Democrat International
Parliamentary groupUDP group
National Assembly
10 / 176
Regional councils
28 / 285
Mayors
25 / 238
Election symbol

History

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The party was founded on June 11, 1993, by former Minister Hamdi Ould Mouknass (Naha's father) who previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Moktar Ould Daddah.[1]

In the 2001 parliamentary elections, the party received 8.1% of the popular vote and won three lf the 81 seats.

In the 2006 parliamentary elections, it won three of the 95 seats,[1] whilst in the Senate elections in 2007 it won only one of the 56 seats. The party supported Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi in the March 2007 presidential election and was part of the presidential majority following his victory. However, after the formation of the government of Prime Minister Yahya Ahmed Ould El Waghef in May 2008, the party left the presidential majority in June 2008, objecting to the composition of the government. It said that, while the opposition had been brought into the government, the UDP had been marginalized; the party also said that "the hope for change born on August 3, 2005 has been compromised", referring to the ouster of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya on that date.[1][5]

Electoral performance

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National Assembly

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National Assembly
Election Party leader National list Seats +/– Government
Votes %
1996 Hamdi Ould Mouknass 8,775
0 / 81
  0 Opposition
2001 Naha Mint Mouknass
3 / 81
  3 Opposition
2006
3 / 95
  0 Opposition
2013 20,470 3.42%
6 / 146
  3 Government
2018 30,495 4.34%
6 / 157
  0 Government
2023 58,823 6.06%
10 / 176
  4 Government

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Un parti quitte la majorité présidentielle en Mauritanie"[permanent dead link], African Press Agency, 17 June 2008 (in French).
  2. ^ "Mauritanie: L'UDP affirme son indépendance"[permanent dead link], Panapress (afriquenligne.fr), 1 March 2008 (in French).
  3. ^ "Naha Mint Mouknass – Jeune Afrique". JeuneAfrique.com (in French). 2006-10-31. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  4. ^ "MyCeni - Résultats 2023". res-myceni.org. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  5. ^ "Un coup d'Etat militaire renverse le président Ould Taya en Mauritanie". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2005-08-04. Retrieved 2023-09-22.