Highlights: Mauritania: waiting for recognition of political parties after five days of national dialogue. Among the topics discussed are requests for recognition. These consultations are essential, according to the government, to ensure a peaceful political climate. According to the Ministry of the Interior, if twenty parties are currently recognized, 98 applications for recognition have been submitted to the competent services. For certain parties concerned by this wait for a receipt, such as the RAG party, these five days were also an opportunity to justify their legitimacy in Mauritanian political life.

In Mauritania, five days of national dialogue have just ended in Nouakchott between recognized political parties awaiting recognition, civil society, unions and the electoral commission...

Mauritania: waiting for recognition of political parties after five days of national dialogue

In Mauritania, five days of national dialogue have just ended in Nouakchott between recognized political parties awaiting recognition, civil society, unions and the electoral commission to prepare, in a participatory manner, the next presidential elections in June 2024.

The headquarters of the Mauritanian Parliament in Nouakchott, March 12, 2023. AFP - MARCO LONGARI

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Nouakchott,

Léa Breuil

Among the topics discussed are requests for recognition of political parties.

These consultations are essential, according to the government, to ensure a peaceful political climate, particularly after the highly contested legislative elections last May.

In its closing speech, the Ministry of the Interior welcomed the holding of five days of inclusive debates with numerous recommendations.

In particular, it was a question of the improvements necessary for the organization of transparent elections but also of discussions around a potential reform of the law relating to political parties.

This was also an opportunity to address the requests for recognition from numerous political groups.

According to the Ministry of the Interior, if twenty parties are currently recognized, 98 applications for recognition have been submitted to the competent services.

For certain parties concerned by this wait for a receipt, such as the RAG party of MP Biram Dah Abeid, these five days of consultations were also an opportunity to justify their legitimacy in Mauritanian political life.

Preserve fundamental democratic principles

“Currently, we have five deputies and therefore, it surprises me that an existing political force on the ground which proves, in each election, that it exists, is not given authorization and recognition.

What we proposed, of course, is simply the application of the current law.

We have fulfilled all these conditions

,” said Ahmed Salem Deklé, representative of the RAG party.

The Interior Ministry clarified in a previous statement that the objective is not at all to restrict the scope of political action, but added that an excessive number of political parties can complicate notably the electoral process.

The closing press release specifies that the implementation of these consultations will make it possible to preserve fundamental democratic principles such as pluralism, while ensuring that the parties are subject to appropriate specifications to in particular “

rationalize the political landscape

”.

The Ministry of the Interior affirms that these recommendations will be the subject of particular attention even if it specifies that the constraints linked to the preparation of the presidential election could slow down the implementation of some of them.

Mauritania: waiting for recognition of political parties after five days of national dialogue

Mauritania: waiting for recognition of political parties after five days of national dialogue

Preserve fundamental democratic principles

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