The Republican Party of Dahomey (french: Parti Républicain Dahoméen, PRD) 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 political ideology ...

French Dahomey French Dahomey was a French colony and part of French West Africa from 1894 to 1958. After World War II, by the establishment of the French Fourth Republic in 1947, Dahomey became part of the French Union with an increased autonomy. On 4 Octobe ...

led by

Sourou-Migan Apithy Sourou-Migan Marcellin Joseph Apithy (April 8, 1913 – December 3, 1989) was a Beninese political figure most active when his country was known as Dahomey. He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey on ...

History

The party was established by Apithy in 1951.Mathurin C Houngnikpo & Samuel Decalo (2012) ''Historical Dictionary of Benin'', Scarecrow Press, p54 It emerged as the largest party in the 1952 Territorial Assembly elections, winning 19 of the 32 second college seats. The party came first in the 1956 French National Assembly elections, returning Apithy to the Assembly. The PRD went on to win the 1957 Territorial Assembly elections, taking 35 of the 60 seats. In 1958 the party merged with the

Dahomeyan Democratic Rally The Dahomeyan Democratic Rally (french: Rassemblement Démocratique Dahoméen, RDD) was a political party in French Dahomey led by Hubert Maga. History The party was established in August 1957 by a merger of the Dahomeyan Democratic Movement l ...

(RDD) to form the

Dahomeyan Progressive Party The Dahomeyan Progressive Party (french: Parti Progressiste Dahoméen, PPD) was a short-lived political party in French Dahomey. History The party was established in 1958 as by the merger of the Republican Party of Dahomey led by Sourou-Migan ...

, which was to be the Dahomeyan branch of the

African Regroupment Party The African Regroupment Party (french: Parti du Regroupement Africain, PRA) was a political party in the French African colonies. Formation The PRA came into being at a meeting in Paris on March 26, 1958, months before the French Community would ...

. However, internal disagreements led to the parties splitting back into their original forms in 1959.Houngnikpo & Decalo, p306 The PRD also won the 1959 elections, despite receiving fewer votes than the

Dahomeyan Democratic Union The Dahomeyan Democratic Union (french: Union Démocratique Dahoméenne, UDD) was a political party in French Dahomey. History The UDD was established in 1955 by a merger of the Dahomeyan Progressive Union (UPD) and the African People's Bloc (B ...

(UDD). Due to accusations of fraud, it later agreed to give nine seats to the UDD, but remained the largest party in the Assembly. In February 1960 it was transformed into the Dahomey Nationalist Party (''Parti des Nationalistes du Dahomey'', PND) after admitting federalists led by Émile Derlin Zinsou. In November 1960 the PND agreed to merge with the RDD and the National Liberation Movement led by Jean Pliya and

Albert Teveodjré Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert C ...

, this time under the name

Dahomeyan Unity Party The Dahomeyan Unity Party (french: Parti Dahoméen de l'Unité, PDU) was a political party in the Republic of Dahomey. History The party was established on 13 November 1960 by the merger of the Republican Party of Dahomey (PRD) led by Sourou-M ...

.Houngnikpo & Decalo, p284

References

Political parties established in 1951 Political parties disestablished in 1958 Political parties established in 1959 Political parties disestablished in 1960 Defunct political parties in Benin 1951 establishments in French West Africa 1958 disestablishments in Africa 1959 establishments in Africa 1960 disestablishments in Africa {{Benin-party-stub