Rassemblement Démocratique Africain

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The African Democratic Collection ( RDA , French Rassemblement Démocratique Africain ) was a party in French West Africa and French Equatorial Africa .

prehistory

After the Second World War , a new constitution for the IV Republic was drawn up in France . For the first time, all overseas holdings within the framework of the Union française were to be represented in the National Assembly and in the Senate. The African possessions sent their own representatives to the two constituent assemblies that were elected in November 1945 and June 1946, respectively.

The first draft constitution, which met the demands of African politicians, was rejected in a referendum , the second, which came into force on October 17, 1946 after another referendum, provided for less say for the colonies.

founding

A reaction to this was a meeting in Bamako in what was then French Sudan in October 1946 , at which the RDA was founded as a gathering movement for the African territories of France. Félix Houphouët (later Houphouët-Boigny) became president, who was always confirmed in the following years despite tensions within the movement.

Individual regional associations were founded in the various territories; depending on political interests, groups joined or left the umbrella organization RDA.

The RDA initially worked with the French Communist Party , less for ideological reasons than because the PCF was most accommodating to the demands of the Africans. After the KPF left the French government, the RDA came under pressure from the authorities and subsequently oriented itself towards the moderate parties of the Fourth Republic. In October 1950, Houphouët-Boigny declared the collaboration with the KPF over. Subsequently, the members of the RDA in the French National Assembly formed a parliamentary group with the Union démocratique et socialiste de la Résistance (UDSR).

Non-participants

Because of the cooperation between the RDA and the KPF, Léopold Sédar Senghor from Senegal declined to participate at the request of his party friends from the socialist SFIO. Senegal with Dakar , the capital of French West Africa, remained largely closed to the RDA. Otherwise, the RDA dominated political events and provided most of the African MPs in Paris and in the respective territorial assemblies.

The End

The main point of controversy between the individual colonies and their representatives was the question of whether the areas should strive for independence individually or as a united federation. Wealthy areas such as Ivory Coast or Gabon were more likely to oppose a federation; poorer countries would have preferred such a solution.

Another point of contention was the question of relations with France during the referendum on the Constitution of the Fifth Republic. While Guinea under Sékou Touré rejected the constitution and thus became independent on October 2, 1958 , all other areas voted yes and thus to remain with France.

With the independence of the other areas in the course of 1960, the RDA lost its importance as a common interest group. The individual member parties were retained and mostly became unitary parties in their respective countries .

Prominent members