Description: (Politician)
Mamadou Tandja, a Nigerien politician, served as President of Niger from 1999 to 2010. Prior to his presidency, he was President of the National Movement for the Development of Society (MNSD) from 1991 to 1999. Tandja, of mixed Fula and Soninke ethnicity, was notable for being the first President of Niger not belonging to the Hausa or Djerma ethnic groups. He also chaired the Economic Community of West African States from 2005 to 2007. In 2010, Tandja was removed from office by the military after a constitutional crisis stemming from his efforts to extend his term.