The Dahomeyean Progressive Union (french: Union Progressiste Dahoméenne, UPD) was a political party in Dahomey.

History

The party was established in April 1946 by Augustin Kokou Azango and

Émile Derlin Zinsou Émile Derlin Zinsou (23 March 1918 – 28 July 2016) was a Beninese politician and physician who was the President of Dahomey (now Benin) from 17 July 1968 until 10 December 1969, supported by the military regime that took power in 1967. Zinso ...

, and was the first political party in the territory.Patrick Manning (2004) ''Slavery, Colonialism and Economic Growth in Dahomey, 1640-1960'', Cambridge University Press, p276Mathurin C Houngnikpo & Samuel Decalo (2012) ''Historical Dictionary of Benin'', Scarecrow Press, p68 It was initially affiliated with the

African Democratic Rally African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

, but dropped its link in 1948. A breakaway in 1946 lead to the creation of the African People's Bloc, but the party still won the 1946–47 General Council elections, taking 20 of the 30 seats. Another breakaway occurred between 1950 and 1951, when

Hubert Maga Coutoucou Hubert Maga (August 10, 1916 – May 8, 2000) was a politician from Dahomey (now known as Benin).Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. Se''New York Times'' obituary He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what regi ...

left the UPD to establish the Ethnic Group of the North under encouragement from Roger Péperty, the northern area's French administrator. Sourou-Migan Apithy also left the party in 1951 to establish the Republican Party of Dahomey. After losing the 1952 Territorial Assembly elections to the Republican Party of Dahomey, the UPD formed an alliance with the African People's Bloc, which led to the creation of the Dahomeyan Democratic Union in 1955.A propos de l’excellente chronique du Professeur Amoussou YEYE, contenu dans lnt
La Nouvelle Tribine, 12 June 2009

References

{{Beninese political parties Defunct political parties in Benin Rassemblement Démocratique Africain Political parties established in 1946 Political parties disestablished in 1955