This article lists political parties in Mauritania.

Until 2005, Mauritania

Mauritania

Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...

 was a one party dominant state with the Democratic and Social Republican Party, now the Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal

Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal

The Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal is a political party in Mauritania. Formerly known as the Democratic and Social Republican Party , , the grouping has changed its identity and adjusted its political stance following the 2005 coup...

, in power. Opposition political parties

Political party

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

 were allowed, but had no real chance of gaining power. Following the 2005 Coup

Military Council for Justice and Democracy

The Military Council for Justice and Democracy was the supreme political body of Mauritania. It served as the country's interim government following the coup d'etat which ousted the President, Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya on 3 August 2005. It was led by the former director of the national police...

 a transitional junta

Military dictatorship

A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....

 liberalised the political arena, permitting a level of pluralism and openness that was applauded in the West, and handed power to the winner of a competitive election, the National Pact for Development and Democracy (PNDD-ADIL). This ended with the 2008 Coup, and while the National Assembly continued to meet, its powers were restricted. The Union for the Republic (Union pour la république) was formed as the ruling party. National elections for a new government were scheduled for 2009, with some parties opposed to the candidacy of military ruler Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz

Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz

General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz is a Mauritanian politician, currently serving as President of Mauritania...

 boycotting the elections.

The parties

• Action for Change
  Action for Change
  The Action for Change is a political party in Mauritania.At the last legislative elections, 19 and 26 October 2001, the party won 5.5% of the popular vote and 4 out of 81 seats....
  
   (Action pour changement, APC)
• Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal
  Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal
  The Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal is a political party in Mauritania...
  
   (Alliance pour la Justice et la Démocratie/Mouvement pour la Rénovation, AJD/MR)
• People's Front
  People's Front (Mauritania)
  The People's Front is a political party in Mauritania.At the 2001 legislative elections, 19 and 26 October 2001, the party won 1 out of 81 seats. The party won in the 19 November and 3 December 2006 elections 1 out of 95 seats....
  
   (Front Populaire)
• Rally for Democracy and Unity
  Rally for Democracy and Unity
  The Rally for Democracy and Unity is a political party in Mauritania.At the last legislative elections, held between 19 and 26 October, 2001, the party won 9.6 % of the popular vote and 3 out of 81 seats. The party won in the 19 November and 3 December 2006 elections 3 out of 95 seats....
  
   (Rassemblement pour la Démocratie et l'Unité, RDU)
• Rally of Democratic Forces
  Rally of Democratic Forces
  The Rally of Democratic Forces is a political party in Mauritania. It is led by Ahmed Ould Daddah.In October 2000, the Union of Democratic Forces-New Era, which was led by Daddah, was dissolved by the government for allegedly inciting violence and harming the country's interests...
  
   (Regroupement des Forces Démocratiques, RFD)
• National Pact for Development and Democracy (Pacte National pour la Démocratie et le Développement, ADIL, PNDD-ADIL)
• Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal
  Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal
  The Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal is a political party in Mauritania. Formerly known as the Democratic and Social Republican Party , , the grouping has changed its identity and adjusted its political stance following the 2005 coup...
  
   (Parti Républicain Démocratique et Renouvellement, PRDR)
• Union for Democracy and Progress
  Union for Democracy and Progress
  The Union for Democracy and Progress is a political party in Mauritania. It was founded on June 11, 1993 by Hamdi Ould Mouknass, who previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Moktar Ould Daddah....
  
   (Union pour la Démocratie et le Progrès, UDP)
• Union of Democratic Forces
  Union of Democratic Forces (Mauritania)
  The Union of Democratic Forces-New Era was a political party in Mauritania, founded in 1991. The secretary-general of the party was Ahmed Ould Daddah...
  
   (Union des Forces Démocratiques, UFD)
• Union of Progress Forces
  Union of Progress Forces
  The Union of the Forces of Progress is a left leaning political party in Mauritania.-Programme:...
  
   (Union des Forces du Progrès, UFP)
• Union for the Republic (Union pour la république, UPR) - party of the 2008 military government
• Tawassoul Party (Islamist, legalised 2007)

Coalitions

• National Front for the Defence of Democracy (Front national pour la défense de la démocratie, FNDD)

2009 anti-UPR coalition. Includes PNDD/ADIL, APP, UFP, Tawassoul Party. Joint opposition with RFD.