1957 Senegalese Territorial Assembly election
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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]
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 eastern Senegal was elected from one of the various regional lists that contested the polls.[2] No women were elected to the assembly.[5]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senegalese Popular Bloc | 449,870 | 78.1 | 47 |
| Senegalese Party of Socialist Action | 63,769 | 11.1 | 12 |
| Others | 62,456 | 10.8 | 1 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 5,073 | − | − |
| Total | 581,168 | 100 | 60 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,063,961 | 54.6 | − |
| Source: Sternberger et al. | |||
Aftermath
After the elections, BPS selected Ibrahima Seydou N'Daw from Kaolack as the chair of the Assembly.[2]
References
- ^ Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband, p1858
- ^ a b c 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
- ^ a b 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
- ^ Chafer, Tony. The End of Empire in French West Africa: France's Successful Decolonization? Oxford: Berg, 2002. p. 210
- ^ Fayé Kassé, Aminata. Women in Politics in Senegal
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