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]

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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]

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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
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