Gender Quotas Database
Mauritania
Western Africa
Single / Lower House
Al Jamiya-Al-Wataniya / National Assembly
| Total seats | 176 |
| Total women | 41 |
| Percentage of women | 23% |
| Gender Quota target | 13% |
| Election year | 2023 |
| Electoral system | Parallel |
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
The number of members of the National Assembly depends on the number of inhabitants of the electoral district: ... Twenty seats to be elected in a national women list... (Article 3 - Electoral Law) For elections to the National Assembly, women will be entitled to a minimum quota of places on the candidate lists defined in accordance with the following indications: |
| Rank order/placement rules | Electoral law |
2) In electoral constituencies with more than three seats, with the exception of the national women's list, each list is alternately composed of a candidate of each sex, taking into account the following two principles: - Within each entire group of four candidates in the order of presentation of the list must include an equal number of candidates of each sex, - The difference between the number of candidates of each sex cannot be greater than one (Article 4.2 - Parity Law) |
| Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? | No | See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
| Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? | No | See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Gender Quota target | 19% |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
For regional elections, women will be entitled to a minimum quota of places on candidate lists defined in accordance with the following indications: |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Organic Law promoting women's access to electoral mandates and elective offices | The electoral administration shall reject candidate lists that do not comply with the quota regulations (Article 3 (1) of the Organic Law promoting women's access to electoral mandates and elective offices, as amended by Law 2012- 034). |
| Rank order/placement rules | EMB Act |
In election for municipal councils with 9-11 councillors, women candidates must be placed as No. 1 and 4, or 2 and 4 of the list of each party. When the council has 15-17 councillors, women candidates must be placed as No. 1 or 2, and subsequently as No. 5 and 7. In case of 19 or more councillors, women must be placed as No. 1 or 2, and subsequently as No. 5, 7 and 9. (Communication of the CENI on the composition of the lists of candidates for the 2013 elections) |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| No data available. | ||
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Additional information
The number of deputies in the National Assembly is set at one hundred and seventy-six (176), of which 50% are elected by absolute majority (two-round system), and 50% by list ballot with proportional representation in one round. For the elections to the National Assembly, women have a minimum quota for places amongst candidate lists. Additionally, twenty reserved seats to be elected in a national women list. There is a quota of 20 % of seats for women in municipal elections. (IFES Election Guide 2023) In the 2023 election, 41 women were elected to the National Assembly, representing 23.3% of the number of deputies. (Independent National Electoral Commission)
Sources
Legal Sources:
- Constitution of Mauritania - Arabic/ French
- Electoral law (028/91) amended through (029/2012) (006-030/2018) (014/2023)
- Parity law (2006 - 2012 {p.255-p.262}) amended through (08/2018)
Other Sources:
- Independent National Electoral Commission - Link
- International Foundation for Electoral Systems - Mauritania Country Profile
- Réseau des compétences électorales francophones (RECEF) - Mauritania Country Profile
- Interparliamentary Union [IPU] Parline - Mauritania Country Profile
- ACE Project - Mauritania Country Profile
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Mauritania on iKNOW Politics
- Arendt, C. (2018). From Critical Mass to Critical Leaders: Unpacking the Political Conditions behind Gender Quotas in Africa. Politics & Gender, 14(3), 295-322. doi:10.1017/S1743923X17000502
- Global Citizen. (2015). In Mauritania, women take charge of their own lives.
Explore more resources: Africa | Global
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