Mauritanian National Union

The Mauritanian National Union (French: Union nationale mauritanienne, abbreviated UNM) was a political party in Mauritania. The party was founded in April 1959, as a merger between a dissident group in the Mauritanian Regroupment Party (PRM) and the Union of Natives of Southern Mauritania (UOMS).[1][2][3] The foundation of the party took place in the run-up to the May 1959 legislative elections.[4] Members of the party bureau of UNM included Hadrami Ould Khatrri (political secretary), Moussa Sall, Yacoub Ould Boumediana (chairman) and Ba Abdoul Aziz (administrative secretary).[4][5][6][7] The UNM favoured unity with the neighbouring states in the Mali Federation.[1][3][8]

The party had most of its support from the Black populations of southern Mauritania.[9] The party could not contest the May 17, 1959 legislative elections, having been formed too soon before the polls.[10][11] The party held its founding conference in July 1959, in Aïoun.[7] At the conference, the party declared itself as 'the Mauritanian section of the Party of the African Federation' (PFA), a move reciprocated in a greeting from the PFA bureau two months later.[7]

In February 1960 Hadrami, Yacoubi and Ba were arrested, charged with conspiring against the integrity of the state.[12][6]

Once the Mali Federation collapsed, the jailed UNM leaders were released.[6] Subsequently the party moved closed to Moktar Ould Daddah.[3][9] The party was pressured to align with PRM and on October 10, 1960 the two parties formed a united front.[11][12][10] At a meeting held on June 30, 1961 leaders of PRM, UNM and the former Nahda agreed to merge their parties.[13] Subsequently, the Mauritanian People's Party (PPM) was formed as the sole legal party in the country.[14]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b The Election Archives (5 ed.). Shiv Lal. 1971. p. 108.
2. ^ Muriel Devey (2005). La Mauritanie. KARTHALA Editions. p. 145\. ISBN 978-2-84586-583-9.
3. ^ a b c Emmanuel Nadal; Marianne Marty; Céline Thiriot (2005). Faire de la politique comparée: les terrains du comparatisme. KARTHALA Editions. p. 258\. ISBN 978-2-84586-693-5.
4. ^ a b Tribus, ethnies et pouvoir en Mauritanie. Nouvelle édition. KARTHALA Editions. 1 February 2010. p. 105\. ISBN 978-2-8111-3208-8.
5. ^ Sándor Radó (1962). Welthandbuch: Internationaler politischer wirtschaftlicher Almanach 1962. Corvina Verlag. p. 821.
6. ^ a b c Paulette Pierson-Mathy (1961). Evolution politique de l'Afrique: la communauté "française," la république de Guinée l'indépendance de la Somalie. Institut royal des relations internationales. p. 175.
7. ^ a b c Les nouveaux conquérants de la foi-L'Eglise universelle du royaume de Dieu (Brésil). KARTHALA Editions. 1 December 2003. p. 196\. ISBN 978-2-8111-3765-6.
8. ^ Africa Report. Vol. 6–7. African-American Institute. 1961. p. 22.
9. ^ a b Louis J. Cantori; Steven L. Spiegel (1970). The international politics of regions. Prentice-Hall. p. 119. ISBN 9780134734132.
10. ^ a b Europe, France outremer (371-381 ed.). 1960. p. 107.
11. ^ a b Ronald Segal (1961). Political Africa: A Who's Who of Personalities and Parties. F.A. Praeger. p. 364.
12. ^ a b Études congolaises. Vol. 3\. 1962. p. 69.
13. ^ Bilan du monde, 1964. Vol. 2\. Casterman. 1964. p. 606.
14. ^ The Middle East and North Africa. Vol. 5–17. Europa Publications. 1961. p. 412.