Description of Electoral System:

(courtesy of IFES election guide)

The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.In the Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh) 56 members are elected by municipal leaders to serve 6-year terms. In the National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani) 81 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms. A part of the seats are up for election every two years.

Electoral Systems Snapshot

(Courtesy of International IDEA)

*Click on links for definitions

WANT MORE ELECTION RELATED STATS FOR MAURITANIA? Go to "election databases" on the left-hand menu of this page OR comparative data on the right-hand menu and choose your area of interest.

Most recent election

(courtesy of wikipedia)

A Mauritanian presidential election occurred on 11 March 2007. Since no candidate received a majority of the votes, a second round was held on 25 March between the top two candidates, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi and Ahmed Ould Daddah. Abdallahi won the second round with about 53% of the vote and will take office in April.

The 2007 election followed a military coup in August 2005 that ousted long-time president Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya; the head of the junta, Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, said that he and the other members of the junta would not run for president in the election, which marks the last stage of the transition to civilian rule.