1956 Eritrean parliamentary election

Assembly elections were held in Eritrea on 5 and 6 September 1956.[1] All candidates ran as independents.[2]

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Background

Elections had previously been held in 1952 during the British administration. Following the elections, article 45 of the new Eritrean constitution required that the Legislative Assembly pass a new electoral law to replace the 1951 proclamation and establish an Electoral High Commission prior to the next elections.[1] In 1953 the Assembly rejected a draft law, and the government obtained confirmation from the Attorney General that the 1951 proclamation would still be applicable.[3]

However, this had not been done, and in the months leading up to the 1956 elections the Muslim League asked the Supreme Court to declare them unconstitutional.[3]

Conduct

The Eritrean police force began harassing opponents of the Unionist Party government in September 1955 under the leadership of pro-Unionist Tedla Ogbit.[3] The federal authorities also intervened to "frighten off any possible opposition", and one anti-Unionist candidate, Muhammed Omar Akito, had a bomb thrown into his living room.[4]

However, the Supreme Court made some interventions on behalf of the opposition, demanding opposition candidate Fessha Woldermariam be released from police detainment after he was arrested a week before nominations closed.[3] It also confirmed the victory of opposition candidate Muhammed Omar Akito, which the Assembly had declared invalid.[4]

Results

A total of 188 candidates contested the 68 seats, with 32 Unionists and 24 opposition or non-aligned candidates elected.[4]

Aftermath

The self-dissolution of the Assembly in 1962 was the pretext for annexation of Eritrea by Imperial Ethiopia.[2]

References
  1. Tekeste Negash (1997) Eritrea and Ethiopia: The Federal Experience, Nordic Africa Institute, p115
  2. Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Erster Halbband, p332 (in German)
  3. Negash, p116
  4. Negash, p117
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