1957 Senegalese Territorial Assembly election

Territorial Assembly elections were held in Senegal on 31 March 1957.[1] The result was a landslide victory for the Senegalese Popular Bloc (BPS), which won 47 of the 60 seats. Its main competitor, the MSA-affiliated Senegalese Party of Socialist Action (PSAS) had aliented the marabouts and enabled the BPS to win the rural vote (over which the marabouts held an important sway) by far.[2]

Senegal
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Senegal
Constitution
Government
Parliament
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations
 Senegal portal

Electoral system

The elections had been called after the adoption of the Loi Cadre in 1956, which instituted a system of semiautonomous governments in the different colonies of French West Africa.[3]

Campaign

Whilst most other Territorial Assembly elections were dominated by affiliates of the African Democratic Rally (RDA), the Senegalese elections saw a clash between the Senegalese parties affiliated to the African Convention (CA) and the African Socialist Movement (MSA) respectively.[4]

The CA-affiliated BPS had evolved out of the Senegalese Democratic Bloc just before the elections. In the run-up to the elections the BPS leader Léopold Sédar Senghor had a more socialist and nationalist discourse, attracting various trade unionists and leftwing intellectuals to join the BPS leadership.[3]

Results

One MP from Kédougou was elected from one of the various regional lists that contested the polls.[5] No women were elected to the assembly.[6]

Party Votes % Seats
Senegalese Popular Bloc449,84478.047
Senegalese Party of Socialist Action66,45811.512
Regional lists58,46510.11
Others1,6310.30
Invalid/blank votes4,767−−
Total581,16810060
Registered voters/turnout1,063,94654.6−
Source: De Benoist[5]

Aftermath

After the elections, BPS selected Ibrahima Seydou N'Daw from Kaolack as the chair of the Assembly.[2]

References
  1. Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband, p1858
  2. Roche, Christian. Le Sénégal à la conquête de son indépendance: 1939-1960 : chronique de la vie politique et syndicale, de l'Empire français à l'indépendance. Hommes et sociétés. Paris: Karthala, 2001. p. 180
  3. Boone, Catherine. Merchant Capital and the Roots of State Power in Senegal, 1930-1985. Cambridge studies in comparative politics. Cambridge [England]: Cambridge University Press, 1992. p. 85
  4. Chafer, Tony. The End of Empire in French West Africa: France's Successful Decolonization? Oxford: Berg, 2002. p. 210
  5. Joseph-Roger de Benoist (1982) Afrique occidentale française de 1944 à 1960, p544
  6. Fayé Kassé, Aminata. Women in Politics in Senegal
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.