1945 French legislative election in French Sudan−Niger

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Elections to the

French National Assembly were held in the constituency of French SudanNiger on 21 October 1945 as part of the wider French elections. Two members were elected from two separate electoral colleges. A second round of voting was held for both colleges on 18 November as no candidate received over 50% of the vote in the first round.[1] Maurice Kaouza and Fily Dabo Sissoko
were elected.

Campaign

An attempt to form a unified African bloc for the elections failed due to the number of people seeking to be candidates. Fily Dabo Sissoko became a well-known a writer, and was popular with chiefs, particularly those from animist groups.[2] He campaigned on a platform of equal pay for Africans and Europeans, the abolishment of forced labour and the emancipation of women.[3]

In the second round of the second college elections, opponents of Sissoko have their backing to Mamadou Konaté, a teacher who was well-respected amongst the local intelligentsia.[3]

Results

First College

CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Maurice KaouzaDemocratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance66026.631,37558.11
Jean SilvandreFrench Section of the Workers' International63225.5091238.55
Pierre-André Gomis41716.83
Trollé31712.79
Robert LattesPopular Republican Movement2058.27
André Marie1224.92
Raoul Monmarson1094.40793.34
Pasquini160.65
Total2,478100.002,366100.00
Valid votes2,47896.122,36698.71
Invalid/blank votes1003.88311.29
Total votes2,578100.002,397100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,24379.493,26373.46
Source: De Benoist,[4] National Assembly

Second College

CandidateFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Modibo Keita
9373.49
Hamani Diori5642.10
Diarra Trémoko Dratigui5031.87
Sidibé Tidiani4481.67
Sidibé Mamby2711.01
Mariko Siriman2000.75
Total26,843100.0024,616100.00
Valid votes26,84399.3724,61699.56
Invalid/blank votes1710.631080.44
Total votes27,014100.0024,724100.00
Registered voters/turnout33,62680.3433,64373.49
Source: Sternberger et al., De Benoist[4]

Aftermath

Following the elections, Senegalese MP Lamine Guèye attempted to persuade all the African MPs to form an African Bloc, which would be affiliated with the SFIO. However, the attempt failed, and Sissoko joined the MUR.[5]

References

  1. Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen
    & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Erster Halbband, pp1249−1250
  2. ^ Edward Mortimer (1969) France and the Africans 1944–1960: A political history, Faber, p64
  3. ^ a b Mortimer, p65
  4. ^ a b Joseph-Roger de Benoist (1982) Afrique occidentale française de 1944 à 1960, pp521–522
  5. ^ Mortimer, p72