Editing Niger (section)

==== Fifth Republic (1999–2009) ====
[[File:Nigerien MNJ fighter technical gun.JPG|thumb|A [[Tuareg people|Tuareg]] rebel fighter in northern Niger during the Second Tuareg Rebellion, 2008]]
After winning the election in November 1999, President [[Tandja Mamadou]] was sworn into office on 22 December 1999 as the first president of the Fifth Republic. Mamadou brought about administrative and economic reforms that had been halted due to the military coups since the Third Republic, and helped peacefully resolve a decades-long boundary dispute with Benin.<ref>{{citation|url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2005/07/144962-un-world-court-decides-niger-benin-border-dispute|publisher=UN News|title=UN World Court decides Niger, Benin border dispute|date=13 July 2019|access-date=8 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108193311/https://news.un.org/en/story/2005/07/144962-un-world-court-decides-niger-benin-border-dispute|archive-date=8 November 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Fabio Spadi (2005) [http://www.ljil.leidenuniv.nl/index.php3?m=5&c=186 The ICJ Judgment in the Benin-Niger Border Dispute: the interplay of titles and 'effectivités' under the uti possidetis juris principle, ''Leiden Journal of International Law''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929032048/http://www.ljil.leidenuniv.nl/index.php3?m=5&c=186 |date=29 September 2006 }} 18: 777–794</ref> In August 2002, unrest within military camps occurred in [[Niamey]], [[Diffa]], and [[Nguigmi]], and the government was able to restore order within days. On 24 July 2004, municipal elections were held to elect local representatives, previously appointed by the government. These elections were followed by presidential elections, in which Mamadou was re-elected for a second term, thus becoming the first president of the republic to win consecutive elections without being deposed by military coups.<ref name="H-Dictionary"/><ref>[http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/NIGER_RMO1611_04122004.pdf "RAPPORT DE LA MISSION D’OBSERVATION DES ELECTIONS PRESIDENTIELLES ET LEGISLATIVES DES 16 NOVEMBRE ET 4 DECEMBRE 2004"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622081649/http://democratie.francophonie.org/IMG/pdf/NIGER_RMO1611_04122004.pdf |date=22 June 2007 }}, democratie.francophonie.org {{in lang|fr}}.</ref> The legislative and executive configuration remained somewhat similar to that of the first term of the president: [[Hama Amadou]] was reappointed as prime minister and [[Mahamane Ousmane]], the head of the CDS party, was re-elected as the president of the National Assembly (parliament) by his peers.

By 2007, the relationship between President Tandja Mamadou and his prime minister had "deteriorated", leading to the replacement of the latter in June 2007 by [[Seyni Oumarou]] following a successful vote of no confidence at the Assembly.<ref name="H-Dictionary"/> President Tandja Mamadou sought to extend his presidency by modifying the constitution which limited presidential terms. Proponents of the extended presidency, who rallied behind the 'Tazartche' (Hausa for 'overstay') movement, were countered by opponents ('anti-Tazartche') composed of opposition party militants and civil society activists.<ref name="H-Dictionary"/>

The north saw the outbreak of a [[Second Tuareg Rebellion]] in 2007 led by the ''[[Niger Movement for Justice|Mouvement des Nigériens pour la justice]]'' (MNJ). With a number of kidnappings the rebellion had "largely fizzled out inconclusively" by 2009.<ref name="H-Dictionary"/> The "poor" security situation in the region is thought to have allowed elements of [[Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb]] (AQIM) to gain a foothold in the country.<ref name="H-Dictionary"/>