Talk of political dialogue in Mauritania is no longer just about formal arrangements that bring the government and the opposition together around one table, but has become connected to a deeper question about the future of the political system itself, and the limits of its ability to produce acceptable compromises in light of the accelerating internal and regional transformations.
At the heart of this debate stands the issue of constitutional amendments and presidential terms, as the most sensitive “knot,” which seems to be hindering the transition of the dialogue from the stage of intentions to the stage of actual understandings.
Although Mauritanians are preoccupied with events on the border with Mali and with the repercussions of the war between America and Iran, everyone is nevertheless waiting for a hidden hand and a magic wand to bring the dialogue out of the intensive care unit.
Hope remains
In this context, writer, journalist, and politician Hanefi Ould Dahah believes that the dialogue process has not yet reached a complete breakdown, but it is experiencing a genuine stalemate due to the lack of trust between the opposition and the government, and the disagreement over sensitive constitutional issues. He believes that overcoming this obstacle could put the dialogue back on track, especially if clear and convincing guarantees are provided to the opposition regarding respect for the outcomes of any potential political agreement.
The authorities seem wary of offering binding guarantees that might limit their political margin in the future.
The statements of Ould Dahah, a prominent politician and veteran media figure, revealed the essence of the political crisis in the country, especially his confirmation that “the dispute is no longer just a traditional rivalry between the majority and the opposition, but has turned into a structural crisis of confidence, in which the opposition fears that the dialogue will turn into a mere tool for buying time and managing balances, without a real political commitment to implementing any understandings that may result from it.”
On the other hand, the authorities seem wary of providing binding guarantees that might limit their political margin in the future, and are seeking to open the locks of the constitution to the requirements of the upcoming elections, as the Mauritanian political arena lacks a successor to President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani who is reassured by the army and accepted by the civilians.
Opposition divided
However, the crisis is not only related to the government, as the opposition itself appears divided in its vision of the dialogue, as a result of ideological differences and conflicting political calculations within its components. This explains the state of confusion that has characterized the positions of some opposition forces in recent months, between those who are pushing for a broad political settlement, and those who fear that the dialogue will turn into a political repositioning process and nothing more.
The debate today has moved beyond the question of “Will the dialogue succeed?” to a deeper question: What is the nature of the reforms it should lead to?
Nevertheless, the importance of dialogue seems greater than just being a passing political event, especially in light of the indicators of social and economic tension that have begun to gradually escalate, amid fears of a return of tension to the national scene.
Ould Dahah warned that “the failure of dialogue may push the opposition to exploit the economic and social crises to escalate the confrontation with the regime, after a period of relative political calm.”
But the current debate has moved beyond the question of “Will the dialogue succeed?” to a deeper one: What kind of reforms should it lead to? Here, the issue of constitutional amendments emerges as one of the most significant challenges facing any future political consensus. In this context, prominent journalist and political analyst Mohamed Mahmoud Bakkar proposed a different approach, arguing that the constitution is not a rigid text or a document susceptible to repeated political manipulation, but rather a framework that must combine stability with the ability to keep pace with changes.
Dealing with transformations
Ould Bakar believes that “the Mauritanian constitutional experience, since the 1991 constitution and the successive amendments it has undergone, has produced deep imbalances that now require serious review.”
This argument is based on a series of transformations that Mauritania is experiencing today, whether in terms of gas, energy and mineral discoveries, or the escalating challenges of migration and regional security after the collapses witnessed by some neighboring Sahel countries; these are variables that make it necessary, according to Ould Bakar, to rethink the structure of the constitutional system and its institutions.
Calls are growing for a review of the regional councils established after the 2017 amendments, amid criticism that they have failed to achieve the desired developmental and administrative goals.
One of the most contentious points in this debate is the call to reinstate the Senate, which was abolished in 2017 through a referendum that sparked widespread political divisions. Proponents of this approach argue that the absence of a second chamber of parliament weakened the quality of legislation and oversight, transforming parliament into a space where political and social calculations prevail over competence and expertise.
The constitutional debate also raises the issue of eligibility requirements for senior positions and legislative bodies, amid calls to tighten standards related to scientific competence, administrative experience, and the ethical record of candidates.
Those who hold this view base it on the demographic and social transformations that the country is experiencing, especially with the high proportion of young people, weak education indicators, and the widening influence of populism in the political sphere.
In the same vein, voices are rising demanding a review of the experience of the regional councils that were established after the 2017 amendments, amid criticisms that they have not achieved the desired developmental and administrative goals, due to weak powers and overlapping jurisdictions with administrative authorities and municipalities.
There is no point in dialogue
In another view, retired Colonel Ahmed Salem Ould Lekbeid considered the national dialogue called for by the authorities to be “Mauritania’s lifeline and resuscitation mechanism after it entered a period of political paralysis.” However, he questioned the effectiveness of the dialogue under the current circumstances and the ability of political parties to exert any real influence on the national scene. He accused some opposition figures of seeking to confine the dialogue directly to the president, bypassing the majority parties, which he said had placed the latter in an “embarrassing position” before public opinion.
The success of the dialogue will remain contingent on the parties' ability to distinguish between the constitutional amendments necessary for the development of the state, and the concerns associated with using the constitution to serve temporary balances.
Despite the technical nature of some of these issues, they reflect, at their core, a larger political question concerning the shape of the state in the coming years, and its ability to build strong and balanced institutions in a highly turbulent regional environment.
It seems that the success of the political dialogue will remain dependent on the ability of the parties to separate the constitutional amendments necessary for the development of the state from the concerns related to using the constitution to serve circumstantial balances or narrow political calculations. The opposition wants guarantees that prevent the reproduction of previous crises, while the authority seeks to maintain a wide margin of political maneuvering.
Between these two considerations, Mauritania stands at a critical political juncture: either the anticipated dialogue will become an opportunity to rebuild trust and launch profound constitutional and institutional reforms, or it will remain just another stop on a long road of postponed disputes. In a country facing complex economic, security, and regional challenges, the luxury of delaying a decisive resolution may no longer be an option.
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