Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism
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The Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (French: Parti Nigerien pour la Democratie et le Socialisme-Tarayya) is a political party in Niger. It is a broadly left-wing party, part of the Socialist International,[1] and it is the country's main opposition party. The party's president is Mahamadou Issoufou, its vice-president is Mohamed Bazoum, and its secretary-general is Foumakoye Gado.[2] It was founded on December 23, 1990.[3]
In the country's first multiparty presidential election, held in February 1993, the leader of the PNDS, Mahamadou Issoufou, took third place, with 15.92% of the vote, in the first round;[4] in the parliamentary election, also held in February, the the PNDS won 13 out of 83 seats in the National Assembly.[4][5] The party won five of these 13 seats in Tahoua Department, where Issoufou is from. As part of a coalition called the Alliance of the Forces of Change (AFC), the PNDS backed Mahamane Ousmane of the Democratic and Social Convention (CDS) in the second round of the presidential election, held in March, and Ousmane was victorious over Tandja Mamadou of the National Movement for the Development of Society (MNSD). In the National Assembly, the PNDS formed part of the AFC majority, and Issoufou was appointed prime minister.[5]
In a 21 September 1994 decree, Ousmane strengthened his powers at the expense of those of the prime minister, and Issoufou resigned on 28 September. The PNDS was unwilling to put forward another candidate to take Issoufou's place and withdrew from the AFC, thereby depriving the AFC of its parliamentary majority. The PNDS then formed an alliance with the opposition MNSD despite its history of hostility toward that party; Adji Kirgam and Mazou Ibrahim, two PNDS leaders who opposed this alliance, were expelled from the party.[5]
The loss of the AFC's majority led to a new parliamentary election in January 1995. In this election, the MNSD-PNDS alliance, together with two minor groups, gained a majority of seats in the National Assembly; the PNDS won 12 seats. Hama Amadou of the MNSD became prime minister while Issoufou became President of the National Assembly. This situation involved cohabitation between the new government and President Ousmane, and intense rivalry developed between them. In January 1996, the military under Ibrahim Bare Mainassara seized power.[5]
In the July 1996 presidential election, won by Mainassara in the first round, the PNDS candidate Issoufou officially received fourth place with 7.60% of the vote.[4] Along with other opposition parties, grouped together as the Front for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy, the PNDS boycotted the November 1996 parliamentary election.[6]
Following another coup in April 1999, Issoufou placed second in the presidential election held in late 1999, receiving 22.79% of the vote in the first round, held in October, and 40.11% in the second round, held in November. He was defeated in the second round by Tandja. In the November 1999 parliamentary election, the PNDS won 16 out of 83 seats,[4][7] becoming the largest opposition party in the National Assembly.
In the 2004 presidential election, Issoufou won second place and 24.6% of the vote in the first round, held on 16 November, and in the second round, held on 4 December, he was again defeated by Tandja, receiving 34.5%. In the 2004 parliamentary election, also held on 4 December, the PNDS won 13.4% of the vote and 17 out of 113 seats. 8 additional seats were won by alliances of the PNDS with the Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally, the Nigerien Self-Management Party, the Union of Independent Nigeriens and the Union for Democracy and the Republic.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ List of Socialist International parties in Africa.
- ^ PNDS-Tarayya National Executive Committee, as of September 2004 (French).
- ^ "Discours du Camarade Issoufou Mahamadou a l'occasion du meeting célébrant le 15ème anniversaire", PNDS website, January 8, 2006 (French).
- ^ a b c d e Elections in Niger, African Elections Database.
- ^ a b c d "The rise to power of an opposition party: the MNSD in Niger Republic", Unisa Press, Politeia, Vol. 15, No. 3, 1996.
- ^ "Élections législatives sans l'opposition þet sans commentaire", Afrique Express (French).
- ^ "Rapport de la Mission d’Observation des Élections Présidentielles et Législatives des 17 octobre et 24 novembre 1999"PDF (1.06 MiB), democratie.francophonie.org (French).
