Constitution of Mauritania

The Constitution of Mauritania was adopted on 12 July 1991, and has since been amended by referendum in 2006 and again in 2017, when the Senate was abolished in favor of a unicameral National Assembly. It establishes a directly elected president with executive powers including command of the armed forces and the promulgation of laws, an independent judiciary headed by a High Court of Justice, and consultative bodies including a High Islamic Council and an Economic and Social Council. Islam is designated the state religion and the president is required to be Muslim, and the document also protects universal suffrage, individual freedoms, the right to form political parties, and protection against slavery and arbitrary detention.