Nigerien Progressive Party – African Democratic Rally

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Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally
Parti Progressiste Nigérien-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain
Founded1946
Headquarters
African Democratic Rally
Politics of Niger
Constitution (suspended)
Government
National Assembly (dissolved)
  • President
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations

The Nigerien Progressive Party – African Democratic Rally (French: Parti Progressiste Nigérien-Rassemblement Démocratique Africain, PPN-RDA) is a political party in Niger.[1] It was the leading political party of the pre-independence era, becoming the sole legal party of the First Republic (1960–1974). It was led by Niger's first President, Hamani Diori. After the end of military rule, the party reappeared as a minor parliamentary party led by Diori's son, Abdoulaye Hamani Diori.

History

Pre-independence

As the name indicates, the PPN confederated in 1946 with a grouping of regional of pro-independence parties within

African Democratic Rally—RDA ).[2] Under the leadership of Hamani Diori, the PPN paired appeals to traditional society within the Colony of Niger while its representatives worked with the French Communist Party in France, which was the only force supporting independence for France's colonial possessions.[3]

In 1946 the single pro-Independence party in Niger was the Nigerien Progressive Party (PPN), of which Hamani Diori and

Assembly elections, the PPN supported continued association with France under the French Community, while its primary rival, called for immediate independence from France. The PPN swept the Assembly elections, with Diori becoming its chair (essentially, Prime Minister to the colonial governor's presidential role). Sawaba was suppressed and outlawed prior to independence in 1960 with the help of French officials.[6][7]

Post-independence

Single party era

The PPN-RDA was the country's sole legal party from 1960 until 1974, when the regime of

President Hamani Diori was overthrown in a military coup.[3] As president of the PPN, Diori was the only candidate for president of the republic, and was re-elected unopposed for five-year terms in 1965 and 1970. In those same years, a single list of PPN-RDA candidates was returned to the National Assembly.[8]

During this period public criticism of the leadership was forbidden, Assembly sessions were largely ceremonial, and practical governance was carried out by the Political Bureau of the PPN, headed by Diori, Boubou Hama, and a small cadre of supporters.[3] The PPN was reviled by many as tied to traditional elites (especially from the west of the country), too close a partner with French interests, and financially corrupt.[3] The famine which struck the region following the 1969-73 drought, scandals surrounding lack of food aid, along with personal discontent amongst the military, led to the April 1974 coup which ended the PPN's role in Nigerien politics.[3]

Democratic era

The PPN-RDA was resurrected in 1991, following the return to democracy, under the leadership of Diori's eldest son Abdoulaye Hamani Diori. It won two seats in the 1993 parliamentary elections, and nominated Oumarou Garba Issoufou for the subsequent presidential elections; he finished sixth out of eight candidates with 2% of the vote. The party was reduced to one seat in the 1995 parliamentary elections, and lost parliamentary representation after it boycotted the 1996 elections. When it ran in the 1999 elections it failed to win a seat.[9]

It contested the 2004 general elections in an alliance with the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS) and Nigerien Self-Management Party (PNA).[10] The joint list won four seats, and Abdoulaye Hamani Diori led its parliamentary delegation from 2004 until 2009.

The party opposed

2009–10 Nigerien constitutional crisis.[11] It endorsed Mahamadou Issoufou of the PNDS for the presidency in the 2011 general elections, but won no seats in the new National Assembly. It also failed to win a seat in the 2016 general elections
.

Electoral history

Presidential Elections

Election Party candidate Votes % Results
1965 Hamani Diori 1,678,912 100% Elected Green tickY
1970 1,907,673 100% Elected Green tickY

National Assembly elections

Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
1952 Hamani Diori 5,278
0 / 35
 Increase 2nd Extra-parliamentary
1957 103,518 29.96%
19 / 50
 Increase 19 Steady 2nd Opposition
1958 (as part UCFA)
49 / 50
 Increase 30 Increase 1st Supermajority government
1965 1,677,763 100%
50 / 50
 Increase 1 Steady 1st Sole legal party
1970 1,850,968 100%
50 / 50
 Steady Steady 1st Sole legal party
1989
 Party closed following the 1974 coup
1993 Abdoulaye Hamani Diori 32,615 2.60%
2 / 82
 Increase 2 Increase 7th Opposition
1995 18,294 1.27%
1 / 83
 Decrease 1 Decrease 8th Opposition
1996 Boycotted
0 / 83
 Decrease 1 Extra-parliamentary
1999 10,912 0.62%
0 / 83
 Steady Extra-parliamentary
2004 61,997 2.71%

(joint list with PNDS–PNA)

4 / 113
 Increase 4 Increase 8th Opposition
2011 12,549 0.39%
0 / 113
 Decrease 4 Extra-parliamentary
2016 22,956 0.48%
0 / 171
 Steady Extra-parliamentary
2020–21 9,053 0.19%
0 / 166
 Steady Extra-parliamentary

See also

References

  1. ^ "Les partis politiques nigériens, leurs leaders respectifs et les pratiques politiques inavouables", La Roue de l'Histoire, 24 February - 1 March 2004 (in French). "NIGER". Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
  2. ^ Mazrui, Ali A., and Christophe Wondji. Africa since 1935. General history of Africa, 8. Oxford: James Currey, 1999. p. 210
  3. ^
    ISBN 0-8108-3136-8
    pp. 242, 317
  4. ^ Decalo (1997), p.243.
  5. ^ Decalo (1997), p.242.
  6. ^ a b Finn Fuglestad. Djibo Bakary, the French, and the Referendum of 1958 in Niger. The Journal of African History, Vol. 14, No. 2 (1973), pp. 313-330
  7. ISBN 978-0-521-25268-3
    .
  8. ^ Elections in Niger African Elections Database
  9. ^ Elections in Niger, African Elections Database.
  10. MiB), Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
    (in French).
  11. ^ Première conférence nationale de la Coordination des Forces Démocratiques pour la République (CFDR) : 15 partis politiques signent un pacte politique pour la conquête et la gestion concertée du pouvoir. Le Sahel(Niamey) 15 July 2010.
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