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 ideological or p ...

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 October ...

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 (RDD) to form the Dahomeyan Progressive Party, which was to be the Dahomeyan branch of the African Regroupment Party. 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 (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 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 ...

. In November 1960 the PND agreed to merge with the RDD and the National Liberation Movement led by Jean Pliya and Albert Teveodjré, this time under the name Dahomeyan Unity Party.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