Presidential elections were held in the
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta (french: République de Haute-Volta) was a landlocked West African country established on 11 December 1958 as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before becoming autonomous, it had been part of the ...
on 14 May 1978, with a second round on 28 May after no candidate won more than 50% in the first round. They were the country's first multi-party presidential elections, the previous elections in
1965 having
Maurice Yaméogo
Maurice Yaméogo (31 December 1921 – 15 September 1993) was the first President of the Republic of Upper Volta, now called Burkina Faso, from 1959 until 1966.
"Monsieur Maurice" embodied the Voltaic state at the moment of independence. However ...
as the sole candidate. They were also the first presidential elections held under a revised Constitution adopted
a year earlier.
Incumbent president
Sangoulé Lamizana ran as an independent with the support of the
Voltaic Democratic Union–African Democratic Rally. Lamizana was the leading candidate in the first round, before winning with 56% of the vote in the second round. Voter turnout was 35% in the first round and 44% in the second.
Background
In 1966, Yaméogo was
ousted after a
general strike in opposition to his rule, and was replaced by a provisional
military government led by Lamizana. In 1970, a new Constitution was ratified, which was later revised by a referendum held in 1977. The first parliamentary elections were held under the revised Constitution on
30 April 1978, with the first round of the presidential elections being held two weeks later.
Results
References
{{Burkinabe elections
Presidential elections in Burkina Faso
Upper Volta
1978 in Upper Volta