The Political System in Mauritania: The Problem of Centralization and the Necessity of Power Distribution: Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

د. محمدو ولد بوادي; Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

Article Details

The Political System in Mauritania: The Problem of Centralization and the Necessity of Power Distribution: Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

Authors:

د. محمدو ولد بوادي | Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

Publisher:

هشام الاعرج

Journal:

Majalat Monazaat Al-Aamal Vol.13 Issue 3, pp.324-338

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2026

Document Language:

Arabic

Document ID (Org No.):

2001842612

pISSN:

2508-9293

Keywords:

Abstract:

 This article addresses the issue of centralization in the structure of the state and the political system in Mauritania, by analyzing the nature of the distribution of power among various governing institutions and levels of administration within the state. The study is based on the hypothesis that the Mauritanian political system, despite adopting in its constitutional texts certain principles related to the distribution of power among institutions, still exhibits a significant degree of political and administrative centralization. This is reflected in the nature of institutional balance and the level of participation in political decision-making. The article aims to understand how the structure of power within the Mauritanian state has evolved since independence, and to analyze the historical and institutional factors that have contributed to the consolidation of centralized decision-making within the executive branch. It also seeks to highlight the nature of the relationship between the central authority and other political and administrative institutions, including the legislative and judicial branches, as well as local administration, and the extent to which this relationship affects the distribution of power within the political system. The article adopts an analytical approach to examine the development of the Mauritanian state and the transformations of its political system, through an analysis of the constitutional and regulatory framework governing the distribution of power, alongside an assessment of political and institutional practices that have developed within this framework. It also explores the manifestations of centralization in the structure of the political system and the challenges facing the process of redistributing power, particularly with regard to the weakness of administrative decentralization and the limited role of intermediary institutions in political life. The article concludes that centralization in the exercise of power remains one of the structural features of the Mauritanian political system, despite the constitutional and institutional changes witnessed in recent decades. It further demonstrates that the persistence of this pattern of political organization affects institutional effectiveness and the system’s ability to achieve genuine institutional balance. Therefore, strengthening the balance of powers and advancing administrative decentralization remain essential conditions for promoting democratic governance and improving the effectiveness of state institutions in Mauritania.

Article Details

The Political System in Mauritania: The Problem of Centralization and the Necessity of Power Distribution: Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

Authors:

د. محمدو ولد بوادي | Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

Publisher:

هشام الاعرج

Journal:

Majalat Monazaat Al-Aamal Vol.13 Issue 3, pp.324-338

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2026

Document Language:

Arabic

Document ID (Org No.):

2001842612

pISSN:

2508-9293

State

political system

political centralization

distribution of power

decentralization

Mauritania

Administrative Law

الدولة

النظام السياسي

المركزية السياسية

توزيع السلطة

اللامركزية

موريتانيا

القانون الاداري

Issues

Article Details

Authors: د. محمدو ولد بوادي | Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

Publisher: هشام الاعرج

Journal: Majalat Monazaat Al-Aamal Vol.13 Issue 3, pp.324-338

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 8/2026

Document Language: Arabic

Document ID (Org No.): 2001842612

pISSN: 2508-9293

Issues

Authors:

د. محمدو ولد بوادي | Mohamedou Ould Bouadi

Publisher:

هشام الاعرج

Journal:

Majalat Monazaat Al-Aamal Vol.13 Issue 3, pp.324-338

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

8/2026

Document Language:

Arabic

Document ID (Org No.):

2001842612

pISSN:

2508-9293