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 country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

, founded on 27 October 1948 by

Léopold Sédar Senghor Léopold Sédar Senghor (; ; 9 October 1906 – 20 December 2001) was a Senegalese poet, politician and cultural theorist who was the first president of Senegal (1960–80). Ideologically an African socialist, he was the major theoretician o ...

, following a split from the French Section of the Workers' International (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 Kaolack ( ar, كاولاك; wo, Kawlax) is a town of 172,305 people (2002 census) on the north bank of the Saloum River and the N1 road in Senegal. It is the capital of the Kaolack Region, which borders The Gambia to the south. Kaolack is an i ...

Thiès Thiès (; ar, ثيس, Ṯyass; Noon: ''Chess'') is the third largest city in Senegal with a population officially estimated at 320,000 in 2005. It lies east of Dakar on the N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and St- ...

Louga Louga ( ar, لوجا; Wolof: Luga) is a town in northwestern Senegal. Louga is a cattle market centre, and has road and rail links with the port city of Saint-Louis to the northwest and Dakar to the southwest. The area surrounding Louga is ...

, Diourbel and

Ziguinchor Ziguinchor (; wo, Siggcoor ; ar, زيغينكور) is the capital of the Ziguinchor Region, and the chief town of the Casamance area of Senegal, lying at the mouth of the Casamance River. It has a population of over 230,000 (2007 estimate). I ...

. BDS lost in

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from :wo:daqaar, daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar ...

. 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 Senegalese Popular Movement (in French: ''Mouvement Populaire Sénégalais'') was a political party in Senegal. MPS was formed as the Senegalese section of the African Democratic Rally (RDA), following the expulsion of the Senegalese Democratic ...

(MPS) led by Abdolaye Thiaw. The result of the merger was the creation of the

Senegalese Popular Bloc The Senegalese Popular Bloc (in French: ''Bloc Populaire Sénégalais'' (BPS)) was the result of the merger of the Senegalese Democratic Bloc (BDS) of Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegalese Democratic Union (UDS), Casamancian Autonomous Movement ( ...

(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