Senegalese Democratic Bloc (in French: ''Bloc Démocratique Sénégalais'') was a

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

, founded on 27 October 1948 by Léopold Sédar Senghor, following a split from the

French Section of the Workers' International The French Section of the Workers' International (, SFIO) was a major socialist political party in France which was founded in 1905 and succeeded in 1969 by the present Socialist Party. The SFIO was founded in 1905 as the French representativ ...

(SFIO). One month after the split from SFIO, Senghor associated himself with the Indépendants d'Outre-Mer parliamentary fraction. The BDS united the uniting the Union Générale des Originaires du Fleuve, the Mouvement des Forces Démocratiques de Casamance, and the Association des Toucouleurs du Fouta Toro. In the 1951 legislative elections BDS got 213 182 votes (67% of the votes cast in Senegal). Two BDS members are elected MPs, Senghor and Abbas Gueye (a local CGT leader). The electoral campaign was marred by violence between BDS and SFIO. BDS relied heavily on religious and tribal authorities to spread their influence. The combination of the capability to gather many different ethnic group and Senghor's personal charisma ensured BDS predominance in Senegalese pre-Independence politics. In 1956 BDS won the municipal elections in Kaolack, Thiès, Louga, Diourbel and Ziguinchor. BDS lost in

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...

. On 18 August 1956 BDS held its last plenary meeting. That meeting paved the way for the merger of BDS with the Senegalese Democratic Union (UDS), Casamance Autonomist Movement (MAC) and a fraction of the Senegalese Popular Movement (MPS) led by Abdolaye Thiaw. The result of the merger was the creation of the Senegalese Popular Bloc (BPS).

Sources

{{reflist Political parties established in 1948 Political parties in Senegal 1948 establishments in French West Africa Political parties disestablished in 1956 1956 disestablishments in French West Africa