Mauritania – Deposed president is ‘undeposed’ and then resigns

In Mauritania, the situation is moving forward in a seemingly positive fashion.

On Friday President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who was deposed in the coup last August and who was, in effect, ‘undeposed’ as a function of the peace agreement earlier this month, named a government of transition. (See previous post). This was consistent with the agreement. Then, on Saturday, he resigned as president. Again, this was part of the peace agreement.

Presidential elections are set for 18 July and the interim president, in conformity with the constitution, is Bâ Mamadou, known as ‘Mbaré’, who is the president of the Senate. The anti-putsch opposition has confirmed that it will participate in the election.

The prime minister of the transition government is the same as the prime minister who was appointed by the junta last August, Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdhaf. (See previous post).

I am still unclear as to whether the Constitution has been officially restored, but certainly Mauritania is well on the way to returning to semi-presidentialism even if it has not yet formally done so.

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