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

1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Louis J. Cantori; Steven L. Spiegel (1970). The international politics of regions. Prentice-Hall. p. 119. ISBN 9780134734132.
10. Europe, France outremer (371–381 ed.). 1960. p. 107.
11. Ronald Segal (1961). Political Africa: A Who's Who of Personalities and Parties. F.A. Praeger. p. 364.
12. 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.