The Gabonese Socialist Union (french: Union socialiste gabonaise, abbreviated USG) is a
political party in
Gabon. Initially an opposition party founded by formerly exiled student activists, the party aligned itself with the ruling majority.
History
Serge Mba Békalé was the founding president of the party.
[Gabonews. ]
Politique / 2ème Congrès national de l’« USG » sur fond de nouveau départ
' The majority of the founders of USG had belonged to the General Association of Gabonese Students (', AGEG) in
France. Prominent members of the party included Marguérite Makaga, Vincent Essono Mengue, Alfred Antchouet Wora, Mouanga Mbadinga, Marc-Louis Ropivia and Hervé Ossamane Onouviet.
The USG won four seats in the
1990 legislative elections, although it lost a seat in the by-elections held in March 1991.
[Elections in Gabon]
African Elections Database The party joined the coalition government formed in June 1991.
Africa South of the Sahara 2003
'. London: Europa publications, 2003. p. 409
In February 1992 USG united with two other parties,
MORENA–Original and the
Gabonese Socialist Party
The Gabonese Socialist Party (french: Parti Socialiste Gabonais, PSG) is a small political party in Gabon.
History
The party was established in 1991, and merged into the African Forum for Reconstruction the following year.
In 2006 the party ...
, to form an alliance called the
African Forum for Reconstruction
The African Forum for Reconstruction (french: Forum Africain pour la Réconstruction, FAR) is a political party in Gabon led by Léon Mbou Yembi.
History
The party was established in 1992 as a merger of the Gabonese Socialist Party (PSG), th ...
(FAR).
In July 1992 FAR led protests against the proposed Electoral Code. Originally a vocal opposition party, USG soon joined the presidential majority, which caused various splits in the party. In November 1993 USG declared its support for candidacy of incumbent President
Omar Bongo in the
upcoming elections.
The USG won two seats in the
1996 legislative elections,
[Day, Alan J. ]
Political Parties of the World
'. London: Harper, 2002. p. 201 but lost both in the
2001 elections
The following elections occurred in the year 2001.
Africa
* 2001 Beninese presidential election
* 2001 Cape Verdean parliamentary election
* 2001 Cape Verdean presidential election
* 2001 Chadian presidential election
* 2001 Gabonese legislat ...
. The party has not regained parliamentary representation since.
Mba Békalé died in January 2010. After his death Mombo Nzigou provisionally took over the leadership of the party executive committee. In October 2011 USG held its second party congress in
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. Occupying in the northwestern province of Estuaire, Libreville is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea. As of the 2013 census, its population was 703,904.
The area has been inh ...
. The congress elected Guy Nang Békalé as the first secretary of the party.
References
Political parties in Gabon
Political parties with year of establishment missing
Socialism in Gabon
Socialist parties in Africa
{{Gabon-stub