Senate abolished

Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has approved a newly drafted law abolishing the Senate. As a result, all the powers previously held by the Senate passed to the National Assembly. A report on the News24 site notes that opposition groups who opposed the abolition of the Senate say Aziz is laying the groundwork for a third term in power, despite his claims to the contrary. Senators rejected the abolition of their own chamber in March, even though most of them hail from the ruling party, according to the report.