POWERFUL POLITICAL PARTY COALITION FORMS -- MAKES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NOUAKCHOTT 000847

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/06/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR ASEC CASC MR
SUBJECT: POWERFUL POLITICAL PARTY COALITION FORMS -- MAKES
BREAK WITH ISRAEL PART OF PLATFORM

REF: NOUAKCHOTT 842

Classified By: Amb. Joseph LeBaron, Reasons 1.4(b)(d)

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(C) Key Points
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-- 10 political parties have formed the "Coalition of Forces
for Democratic Change" (CFDC),joining together some of
Mauritania's most powerful parties.

-- The CFDC has committed to working collectively to prevent
any candidates from the former regime from being elected, to
form a coalition government if any CFDC parties win the
presidency, and to cutting Mauritania's diplomatic ties with
Israel.

-- A CFDC member told PolOff that "the Taya era leaders who
embezzled and manipulated the Mauritanian people...threaten
to retake power...and our coalition was formed to stop them."

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(C) Comments
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-- The CFDC brings together six of Mauritania's ten most
powerful political parties. If the coalition holds together,
it will likely do well in the coming legislative elections.

-- However, many parties within the coalition have their own
legislative and presidential ambitions, which will pose a
challenge to the cohesion of the coalition.

-- Regardless of the future of the coalition, political
parties are likely to continue calling for an end to
diplomatic relations with Israel (a popular stance with a
majority of Mauritanians),raising significant questions
about the future of Mauritanian-Israeli relations.

End Key Points and Comments.

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A NEW COALITION RISES
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1. (U) On June 28 ten political parties formed the "Coalition
of Forces for Democratic Change" (CFDC). The coalition,
which includes some of Mauritania's most powerful political
parties, has committed to working collectively to prevent any
candidates from the former regime from being elected, and to
form a coalition government if any CFDC parties win the
presidency.


2. (U) The CFDC rose out of the powerful "Bloc of Eight"
coalition, which had formed to collectively negotiate with
the government on the run up to elections, but had not
planned to work collectively during or after elections. The
CFDC, which includes six of the eight parties from the Bloc
of Eight, is a more formal coalition aimed at gaining power
through party-to-party cooperation. The two Bloc of Eight
parties which did not join the CFDC (the Union for Democracy
and Progress an SAWAB) said that "ideological difference"
led t the split.


3. (U) In its first move, the CFDC rrganized a highly
successful pro-Palestinian raly( on July 4, which drew
thousands of Mauritanians to the streets of the capital to
support Mauritaiian unity with the Palestinian people, and to
cal( on the Mauritanian government to sever its diploaatic
relations with Israel (reftel). The coalito*n has said that
ending Mauritanian-Israeli diplomatic relations is one of theccrreessooee ff it platform.

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FEAR OF FORMER REGIM TAKES CENTER STAGE
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4 . (C) The CFDC rally coincided wit the announcement by
former Minister Sidi Ould Ceeikh Abdellahi that he would run
for president. The timing conflict was seen by many as an

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intentional move by the CFDC to draw attention away from
Abdellahi, who, while running as an independent, is rumored
to be supported by the PRDR (Taya's former political party).
Independent candidates (including those with the unofficial
backing of the PRDR) are seen as a significant threat to
Mauritania's other political parties.


5. (C) CFDC member Cheikh Ould M'Haimed told PolOff "we want
to have a majority in Parliament and to have the Prime
Minister in order to nominate the cabinet members and close
the door on the Taya era leaders who embezzled and
manipulated the Mauritanian people," adding that "this group
threatens to retake power...and our coalition was formed to
stop them."


6. (U) The ten CFDC parties are:

- The Popular Progressive Alliance (former Bloc of Eight)

- The Popular Front (former Bloc of Eight)

- Union for Forces and Progress (former Bloc of Eight)

- Democratic Renewal (former Bloc of Eight)

- Gathering of Democratic Forces (former Bloc of Eight)

- Rally for Mauritania (former Bloc of Eight)

- Mauritanian Party for Union and Change

- Democratic Union Party

- The Central Reformist Party (recognition status pending)

- The Direct Democratic Movement (recognition status pending)
LeBaron