The National Rally for Reform and Development (Arabic: التجمع الوطني للإصلاح و التنمية, romanized: at-tajammuʿ al-waṭani lil iṣlāḥ wat-tanmiya, French: Rassemblement National pour la Réforme et le Développement), often known by its shortened Arabic name Tewassoul (Arabic: تواصل, romanized: Tawāṣṣul) or by the abbreviation of its French name (RNRD), is an Islamist political party in Mauritania. The party is associated with the Mauritanian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.[2]
National Rally for Reform and Development التجمع الوطني للإصلاح و التنمية Rassemblement National pour la Réforme et le Développement | |
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Abbreviation | Tewassoul RNRD |
President | Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar |
Founded | 2007 |
Registered | 4 August 2007 |
Preceded by | Centrist Reformists |
Headquarters | Nouakchott, Mauritania |
Membership | ![]() |
Ideology | Sunni Islamism Islamic democracy Religious conservatism |
International affiliation | Muslim Brotherhood |
Parliamentary group | Tewassoul group |
National Assembly | 11 / 176 |
Regional councils | 36 / 285 |
Mayors | 7 / 238 |
Website | |
www.tewassoul.mr | |
As a result of the 2013, 2018 and 2023 parliamentary election Tewassoul has become the second largest political party in Mauritania.[3]
History
editThe roots of Tewassoul go back to the Islamic Movement that began to be organized in Mauritania in 1975, being based on the ideas of the Muslim Brotherhood, but it remained an unauthorized secret political movement due to the different authoritarian regimes in Mauritania's history.[1]
The Islamists were prevented from licensing any political party even after the introduction of multi-party politics in the 1990s. Nevertheless, the Islamic Movement remained present as a significant force in the local political arena, especially with its rejection of the diplomatic ties established between Mauritania and Israel between 1999 and 2009.[1]
After the 2005 coup, and the overthrow of the regime of President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, the Islamists tried to register a political party, but the military council leading the transitional phase rejected their request, which prompted them to launch the “Initiative of Moderate Reformists” on November 23, 2005, which enabled them to enter parliament and win some municipalities as independents in the 2006 elections.[1]
The "Centrist Reformists" (successors of the Initiative of Moderate Reformists) endorsed Saleh Ould Hanenna in the first round of the 2007 presidential election, with them backing Ahmed Ould Daddah in the second round.[1]
Tewassoul was finally legally registered on 4 August 2007 after several failed attemps during the Maaouiya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya regime.[4]
Leadership
editPresident
edit- Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour (2007–25 December 2017)
- Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Seyidi (25 December 2017–25 December 2022)[5]
- Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar (25 December 2022–present)[6]
Electoral performance
editPresident of Mauritania
editElection year | Candidate | 1st round | 2nd round | Result | Winning candidate | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Rank | Votes | % | Rank | ||||
2009 | Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour | 36,864 | 4.74 | 4th | — | Lost | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz | ||
2014 | — | Boycotted | |||||||
2019 | Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar | 165,995 | 17.87 | 3rd | — | Lost | Mohamed Ould Ghazouani | ||
2024 | Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar | 126,187 | 12.76 | 3rd | — | Lost |
National Assembly
editNational Assembly | ||||||
Election | Party leader | National list | Seats | +/– | Government | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | |||||
2013 | Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour | 81,744 | 13.68% | 16 / 146
|
16 | Opposition |
2018 | Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Seyidi | 79,283 | 11.28% | 14 / 157
|
2 | Opposition |
2023 | Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar | 99,431 | 10.24% | 11 / 176
|
3 | Opposition |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e ""تواصل" يعقد مؤتمره الرابع.. ويحتفي بـ 30 ألف منتسب جديد" [Tewassoul holds its fourth conference... and celebrates 30,000 new members]. SaharaMedias (in Arabic). 24 December 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
- ^ Thurston, Alex (1 March 2012). "Mauritania's Islamists". Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "Mauritania's ruling party wins majority parliament". Washington Post. 17 September 2018. Archived from the original on 17 September 2018.
- ^ "موريتانيا ترخص لـ18 حزبا سياسيا أحدها إسلامي" [Mauretania licenses 18 political parties, one of which is Islamist]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 4 August 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "إسلاميو موريتانيا ينتخبون رئيسا جديدا لحزبهم" [Mauritanian Islamists elect a new president for their party]. Al Jazeera (in Arabic). 25 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "إسلاميو موريتانيا يختارون رئيسا جديدا لحزبهم" [Mauritanian Islamists choose a new president for their party]. SaharaMedias (in Arabic). 25 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.