موريتانيا « MŪRĪTĀNĪĀ »
— Also: Gànnaar; Murutaane; Moritani.
— Officially: الجمهورية الإسلامية الموريتانية « ɔal-Ĝumhūrīaḧ ɔal-Ɔislāmīaḧ ɔal-Mūrītānīaḧ ».
— English: Mauritania.
— Seat of government: نواكشوط « Nūākšūt ».
— Status: Not democratic.
— Structure: Power has been held by the military almost continuously, generally held tightly by a strongman who comes to power by coup.
— Governing party: The military and its الإتحاد من أجل الجمهورية « ɔal-Ɔit:ihad min ɔaĝli al-Ĝumhūrīaḧ ».
— Head of government: محمد ولد عبد العزيز « Muham:ad Ŭuld Cabd ɔal-Cazīz », president.
— Chief opposition parties: National Pact for Development and Democracy, led by سيدى ولد الشيخ عبد الله « Sīdī Ŭuld ɔal-Šajx Cabd ɔal-Lahi »; التكتل القوى الديموقراطية « ɔal-Takat:ul ɔal-Qūaj ɔal-Dīmūqrātīaḧ », led by احمد ولد داداه « Ɔahmad Ŭuld Dādāh »; التجمع الوطني للإصلاح و التنمية « ɔal-Taĝam:uc ɔal-Ŭatanī lil-Ɔislāh ŭaɔl-Tanmīaḧ » (تواصل « Taŭāsul »).
— Recent history: The Heads of State, chaired by معاوية ولد سيد احمد الطايع « Mucāŭīaḧ Ŭuld Sīd Ɔahmad ɔal-Tājac » (1984-2005) took power in a coup, from a government that had done likewise. They held a fixed presidential election in 2003, with الطايع « ɔal-Tājac » claiming two-thirds of the vote. This régime was overthrown by المجلس العسكرى للعدل والديمقراطية « ɔal-Maĝlis ɔal-Caskarī lil-Cadl ŭaɔl-Dīmuqrātīaḧ », led by اعلى ولد محمد فال « Ɔaclī Ŭuld Muham:ad Fāl » (2005-7). The opposition did well in a parliamentary election in 2006, but régime-affiliated candidates still secured a majority. Junta members were barred from standing in the 2007 presidential election, but the result also favored the previous and interim régimes. سيدى ولد الشيخ عبد الله « Sīdī Ŭuld ɔal-Šajx Cabd ɔal-Lahi », who worked for the Heads of State, narrowly defeated احمد ولد داداه « Ɔahmad Ŭuld Dādāh », who opposed them. The government went through a year of instability, culminating in a vote of no confidence and a large defection from the governing party. When the president fired several military commanders in 2008, the head of his guard, ولد عبد العزيز « Ŭuld Cabd ɔal-Cazīz » (2008-), overthrew him. In 2009, he held an election and declared himself the victor. The governing party claimed a majority in 2013 parliamentary elections, and a 2014 presidential election, largely boycotted, ended with an official reelection of ولد عبد العزيز « Ŭuld Cabd ɔal-Cazīz ».
— FH: 6-5, not free. Econ: 4.17 (110), authoritarian.
— Updated: 2014 December 2.
O.T. FORD