Country: Mauritania Official Name: Islamic Republic of Mauritania Election Type: Parliamentary First Round: January 21, 2007 Second Round: February 4, 2007 Source for election date

At stake in this election:

• 53 seats in the Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi
• Head of Government: Prime Minister (to be announced)
• Assembly: Mauritania has a bicameral Legislature consisting of the Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh) with 56 seats and the National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani) with 81 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh) 56 members are elected by indirect vote to serve 6-year terms*. In the National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani) 81 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

* 53 members are elected by municipal leaders. Three members to represent Mauritanian's abroad will be designated by the 53 elected senators.

Main parties in the Second Round of the electoral race:

• Independent(s): Independents
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 11
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Rally of Democratic Forces / (RFD)
  Leader: Ahmed Ould DADDAH
  Seats won in this Senate election: 1
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: RFD-UFP
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 1
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Union of the Forces for Progress / (UFP)
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 0
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Mauritanian Party of Union and Change / (HATEM)
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 2
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0

Main parties in the First Round of the electoral race:

• Independent(s): Independents
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 23
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Rally of Democratic Forces / (RFD)
  Leader: Ahmed Ould DADDAH
  Seats won in this Senate election: 5
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal / (PRDR)
  Leader: Boullah Ould MOGUEYA
  Seats won in this Senate election: 3
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Coalition: Forces of Change for Democracy****
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 3
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Union of the Forces for Progress / (UFP)
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 1
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Mauritanian Party of Union and Change / (HATEM)
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this Senate election: 1
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: Union for Democracy and Progress / (UDP)
  Leader: Naha Mint MOUKNASS
  Seats won in this Senate election: 0
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0
• Party: People's Progressive Alliance / (APP)
  Leader: Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR
  Seats won in this Senate election: 0
  Seats won in last Senate election: 0

**** Coalition includes APP, HATEM-PMUC, Centrist Reformists, RFD, RD, UFP

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)
• Registered Voters: 3,688 (January 2007 )

Last Updated on 02/21/2006

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