# National Rally for Reform and Development

> political party in Mauritania

**Wikidata**: [Q12184844](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12184844)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Rally_for_Reform_and_Development)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/national-rally-for-reform-and-development

## Summary

The National Rally for Reform and Development (Arabic: التجمع الوطني للإصلاح والتنمية, also known as Tewassoul or RNRD) is a political party in Mauritania founded in 2007 and affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood movement. The party advocates for Sunni Islamism, Islamic democracy, and religious conservatism, and has grown to become one of the largest political parties in Mauritania with approximately 130,000 members as of 2022.

## Key Facts

- **Official Name**: National Rally for Reform and Development (NRRD)
- **Native Name**: التجمع الوطني للإصلاح و التنمية
- **Aliases**: Tewassoul, RNRD, حزب تواصل
- **Country**: Mauritania
- **Founded**: 2007
- **Affiliation**: Muslim Brotherhood
- **Political Ideologies**: Sunni Islamism, Islamic democracy, religious conservatism
- **Website**: https://tewassoul.mr/ (Arabic), https://tewassoul.mr/fr/ (French)
- **Logo**: Available at Wikimedia Commons (National_Rally_for_Reform_and_Development_logo.png)
- **Membership**: 130,000 (as of 2022)
- **Chairperson History**:
  - Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour (2007–2017)
  - Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Seyidi (2017–2022)
  - Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar (2022–present)
- **Wikipedia Languages**: Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Simple English, Urdu
- **Sitelink Count**: 7
- **Freebase ID**: /m/0nhjbqk
- **Instance Of**: Political party
- **Color**: Green (#008040)

## FAQs

**What is the National Rally for Reform and Development?**

The National Rally for Reform and Development (Tewassoul) is a political party in Mauritania founded in 2007. It is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and advocates for Sunni Islamism, Islamic democracy, and religious conservatism. The party has become one of the largest political forces in Mauritania, with approximately 130,000 members as of 2022.

**Who are the current and past chairpersons of Tewassoul?**

The party has had three chairpersons since its founding: Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour served from 2007 to 2017, Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Seyidi from 2017 to 2022, and Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar has been chairperson since December 2022.

**What is the political ideology of the National Rally for Reform and Development?**

The party advocates for Sunni Islamism, Islamic democracy, and religious conservatism. It is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, an international Islamic political organization.

**How many members does Tewassoul have?**

As of 2022, the National Rally for Reform and Development reported approximately 130,000 members, according to the party's fourth conference held in December 2022.

**What is the party's website and official languages?**

The party maintains official websites in Arabic (https://tewassoul.mr/) and French (https://tewassoul.mr/fr/), reflecting Mauritania's bilingual official language policy.

**Where is the National Rally for Reform and Development based?**

The party is based in Mauritania, a sovereign state in West Africa and North Africa that gained independence from France on November 28, 1960. The capital and largest city is Nouakchott.

## Why It Matters

The National Rally for Reform and Development represents one of the most significant political forces in Mauritania, particularly within the landscape of Islamic and conservative political movements in West Africa. As an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood, Tewassoul embodies the intersection of religious conservatism and democratic political participation in a region where political systems have historically oscillated between military rule and civilian governance.

The party's growth to 130,000 members demonstrates its substantial popular support and organizational capacity in Mauritanian politics. Its existence and continued participation in the political process reflect the broader trend of Islamic political movements seeking to participate in democratic systems while advocating for governance based on Islamic principles.

Mauritania's unique position as an Islamic Republic with a presidential system, combined with its strategic location at the crossroads of the Sahara Desert and the Sahel region, makes the political dynamics within the country particularly significant for regional stability and governance models in North and West Africa.

The party's website availability in both Arabic and French also highlights Mauritania's bilingual cultural landscape and the party's effort to reach diverse constituencies across the country's multilingual population, which includes Arabic, Hassaniya Arabic, Pulaar, Soninke, Zenaga, Wolof, French, English, and Malay speakers.

## Notable For

- **One of Mauritania's Largest Political Parties**: With approximately 130,000 members as of 2022, Tewassoul is among the largest political parties in the country by membership.
- **Muslim Brotherhood Affiliation**: The party is formally affiliated with the international Muslim Brotherhood movement, connecting it to a global network of Islamic political organizations.
- **Bilingual Digital Presence**: Maintains official websites in both Arabic and French, reflecting Mauritania's official languages and cultural diversity.
- **Sustained Leadership Transitions**: The party has experienced two peaceful leadership transitions since its founding in 2007, demonstrating organizational stability.
- **Multiple Language Support on Wikipedia**: The party has Wikipedia articles in seven languages (Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Simple English, Urdu), indicating international interest and coverage.
- **Green Political Identity**: The party uses green (#008040) as its official color, a traditional symbol in Islamic political movements.

## Body

### History and Foundation

The National Rally for Reform and Development, commonly known as Tewassoul, was founded in 2007 in Mauritania. The party emerged as a political expression of the Muslim Brotherhood movement within the country's evolving political landscape following periods of military rule and subsequent transitions to civilian governance.

The party's founding came at a time when Mauritania was navigating its political identity as an Islamic Republic, having gained independence from France on November 28, 1960. The country's political system, based on Islamic principles with Sharia law influencing the legal framework, provided fertile ground for the emergence of religiously-oriented political parties.

### Leadership

The party has experienced three distinct leadership periods since its founding:

**Mohamed Jemil Ould Mansour (2007–2017)**: The founding chairperson who led the party through its initial decade of operation. His leadership established the party's identity and organizational structure within the Mauritanian political system.

**Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Seyidi (2017–2022)**: Succeeded Mansour in December 2017, following a formal election process within the party. His tenure covered a period of five years until December 2022.

**Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar (2022–present)**: The current chairperson, elected in December 2022. His election marked the third leadership transition in the party's history, demonstrating the party's capacity for peaceful internal democracy.

### Membership and Organizational Structure

As of 2022, the National Rally for Reform and Development reported a membership of approximately 130,000 people. This figure was announced during the party's fourth conference held in December 2022, where the party also celebrated the enrollment of 30,000 new members. The substantial membership base positions Tewassoul as one of the largest political parties in Mauritania by numerical strength.

### Political Ideology and Platform

The party advocates for three interconnected political ideologies:

- **Sunni Islamism**: The party promotes governance and social policies based on Sunni Islamic principles
- **Islamic Democracy**: It seeks to combine democratic participation with Islamic values and governance
- **Religious Conservatism**: The party maintains conservative positions on social and moral issues aligned with traditional Islamic teachings

These ideological positions align the party with the broader Muslim Brotherhood movement, an international Islamic political organization that seeks to establish governance based on Islamic principles through democratic participation.

### Digital Presence and Communication

The party maintains an official website available in Arabic (https://tewassoul.mr/) and French (https://tewassoul.mr/fr/). The bilingual approach reflects Mauritania's official language policy, where both Arabic and French serve as official languages, while also acknowledging the prevalence of French in political and administrative contexts.

The party's digital presence extends to Wikipedia, where it has articles in seven languages: Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Simple English, and Urdu. This multilingual coverage indicates international interest in the party and its activities.

### Relationship to Mauritanian Context

Mauritania, officially known as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, provides the political and cultural context for the party's existence. The country operates under a presidential system with the President serving as both head of state and government. The country's legal system reflects Sharia law, and Islam is the dominant religion with Malikism as the dominant school of Islamic jurisprudence.

The party's activities and platform must be understood within this framework, where Islamic principles form the foundation of both governance and society. Mauritania's population of approximately 4.7 million people (2022) includes diverse ethnic groups and languages, creating a complex political landscape that parties like Tewassoul must navigate.

### International Connections

The party's affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood connects it to a broader international network of Islamic political organizations. This connection provides the party with ideological frameworks and organizational models that have been adapted to the Mauritanian context.

The party's presence on Wikipedia in multiple languages, with a sitelink count of 7, reflects its recognition within international knowledge repositories and its relevance to observers of Islamic political movements globally.

### Visual Identity

The party uses green (#008040) as its official color, a hue traditionally associated with Islam and Islamic political movements. The party maintains a logo, available through Wikimedia Commons, which serves as its visual identifier in political communications and official materials.

### Summary Table of Key Properties

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Founded | 2007 |
| Country | Mauritania |
| Affiliation | Muslim Brotherhood |
| Ideology | Sunni Islamism, Islamic democracy, religious conservatism |
| Current Chairperson | Hamadi Ould Sid'El Moctar (since 2022) |
| Membership | 130,000 (2022) |
| Official Color | #008040 (green) |
| Website Languages | Arabic, French |
| Wikipedia Languages | 7 (ar, en, es, fr, it, simple, ur) |

## References

1. [إسلاميو موريتانيا ينتخبون رئيسا جديدا لحزبهم. Al Jazeera. 2017](https://www.aljazeera.net/news/2017/12/25/%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A%D9%88-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%A8%D9%88%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A7)
2. [موريتانيا: حزب “تواصل” الإسلامي المعارض ينتخب رئيسا جديدا له. Al-Quds. 2022](https://www.alquds.co.uk/%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%AD%D8%B2%D8%A8-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%B1/)
3. [“تواصل” يعقد مؤتمره الرابع.. ويحتفي بـ 30 ألف منتسب جديد. 2022](https://saharamedias.net/200331-%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B5%D9%84-%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%82%D8%AF-%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%B9-%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%AD%D8%AA%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D9%80-30-%D8%A3/)