What is the legal system in Mauritania?

Mauritania's legal system is based on the French legal system. After Mauritania gained its independence as a French colony in 1960, it continued the effects of the French legal system. Mauritania's constitutional law provides a balance between the legislative, executive and judicial branches. The legislative branch consists of the National Assembly and the Senate. The executive branch consists of the President and the Government. The judicial body consists of independent courts. Mauritania's criminal law is based on laws that determine crimes and penalties. Crimes are regulated in many areas such as harming persons, theft of property, fraud, drug trafficking. Criminal proceedings take place in the presence of judges and the presumption of innocence of the defendants is respected. Mauritania's civil law regulates issues such as individuals' rights, marriage, divorce, and inheritance. He was also influenced by the French legal system in this field. Mauritania's commercial law regulates the establishment of companies, their activities, trade agreements and commercial disputes. In this area, the French legal system is taken as a reference. Local traditions and customary law also have an important place in Mauritania. The local legal system is especially effective in resolving disputes between tribes. As a result, although Mauritania's legal system is based on the French legal system, local traditions and customary law also play an important role. In this way, both modern legal rules can be applied and local values and norms can be taken into account.