What is the impact of Ould El Ghazaouani’s decision to run for presidency again in Mauritania on the Brotherhood in the country?
Following the announcement by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazaouani of his candidacy for a second and final presidential term in the country, the Brotherhood found themselves once again embroiled in the current conflict, as they were primarily grappling with major divisions, with most of the group’s leaders shifting from the opposition ranks to closer proximity to the government and the ruling regime.
The terrorist group is now on the brink of seeking new mechanisms to spread their influence and capacity to reach popular bases in order to increase their activities and search for new leaders to secure the future of the faltering group.
After El Ghazaouani‘s candidacy, he stated: “I deemed it necessary to address the citizens directly to inform them of my decision to seek their trust for a new term, in response to the call of duty and eager to continue serving you.”
Brotherhood Crises in Mauritania
Since 2019, the National Rally for Reform and Development Party “Tawassoul,” the political arm of the Brotherhood terrorist group in Mauritania, has witnessed successive withdrawals including some of its leaders, who decided to align themselves with the regime, leading to major rifts within the Brotherhood ranks in the coastal country.
The dissensions persisted within the party which had not yet recovered from the crisis of the 2019 withdrawals until late last year 2023, where the disgruntled, after their departure, established political currents that announced their support for the current president Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazaouani and decided to align with the majority.
Recently, the Brotherhood in Mauritania has been holding a party movement to prevent Ould Cheikh’s nomination for a second presidential term, under the pretext of his government’s weakness in achievements, electoral fraud, and suppression of freedoms.
A Group without Voices and Candidates Against the President
The Brotherhood in Mauritania have lost much of their ability to influence, their voices are no longer heard in the street, and therefore, their attempts to disrupt Ould El Ghazaouani‘s candidacy for a second term will have no practical effect, especially as he is the most favored candidate in the presidential elections.
Furthermore, El Ghazaouani is on track to sweep the upcoming presidential election, given his popularity, absence of serious contenders, as well as the significant results achieved by the majority, particularly the ruling party, in last year’s parliamentary, local, and municipal elections.
The dissidents have established political currents that announced their support for the current president Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazaouani and decided to align with the majority.
According to Mauritanian journalist Seyd Mohamed Ould Khalifa: The Brotherhood’s inability to present a candidate for elections due to the major rift it has been going through for some time, as well as the resignations of many leaders from both ranks, and due to the decline of the party’s influence in political and popular circles due to the party’s abandonment of its radical discourse towards the regime.
Ould Khalifa added that the party withdrew from the field and is no longer the initiative, and they are now awaiting confrontation with the president, especially as they have started to position themselves as opposition forces, and the relationship with the regime has begun to change, and discussing issues of citizens, prices, and corruption is no longer a priority for the opposition, but they have focused on regional and international issues and concepts related to ideology.
