Algerian Assembly election, 1948
Encyclopedia
Elections for a new Assembly were held in French colonial Algeria
on 4 and 11 April 1948. The new 120-seat Assembly was to be elected by two colleges, each of which would vote for 60 seats; one college represented around 1,500,000 Europeans
and Algerian Jews
, plus a few thousands "évolué
s" Muslims, and the second of around 8,000,000 "indigenous
" Muslims. Following the victory of the Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties
(MTLD) in the 1947 local elections, the Assembly elections were manipulated by the authorities to ensure a favourable result, to the extent that the phrase "élection algérienne" became synonymous with rigged elections.
He organised with the administration the rigging of these elections and the sabotage of the new (1947) status of Algeria, strongly opposed by the allies of the SFIO in the French government coalition, who threatened to withdraw their support. Among them was the leader of the "French Algeria" lobby, the deputy of Constantine
René Mayer
.
Candidates were arrested before the elections, ballot boxes were stuffed by the colonial administration and the voting in the villages (douars) took place without polling booths under the surveillance of the army. The Algerian nationalists triumphed at the first round of these elections, then their results dropped dramatically at the second, as a result of the rigging.
, Larbi Demaghlatrous (future ambassador of independent Algeria in Jakarta and Belgrade), Chawki Mostefaï (fr) and Djilani Embarek (member of the Algerian Constituent Assembly in 1962), the nationalist Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto
eight, including Ferhat Abbas
, whilst 43 went to independents ("administrative" deputies), often labeled as béni-oui-oui. Among the 60 "European" seats, there were four socialists, one communist
, and 55 right-wingers.
«Il n'y a plus d'autre solution que les mitraillettes.» ("There is no other solution left than the submachine guns").
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
on 4 and 11 April 1948. The new 120-seat Assembly was to be elected by two colleges, each of which would vote for 60 seats; one college represented around 1,500,000 Europeans
Pied-noir
Pied-Noir , plural Pieds-Noirs, pronounced , is a term referring to French citizens of various origins who lived in French Algeria before independence....
and Algerian Jews
History of the Jews in Algeria
History of the Jews in Algeria refers to the history of the Jewish community of Algeria, which goes back to the 1st centuries CE. In the 14th century, many Spanish Jews moved to Algeria...
, plus a few thousands "évolué
Évolué
Évolué is a French term used in the colonial era to refer to native Africans and Asians who had "evolved", through education or assimilation, and accepted European values and patterns of behavior...
s" Muslims, and the second of around 8,000,000 "indigenous
Indigénat
The Code de l'indigénat was a set of laws creating, in practice, an inferior legal status for natives of French Colonies from 1887 until 1944–1947. First put in place in Algeria, it was applied across the French Colonial Empire in 1887–1889...
" Muslims. Following the victory of the Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties
Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties
The Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties , name proposed by Maiza, was created October 1946 to replace the outlawed Parti du Peuple Algerien . Messali Hadj remained as its president....
(MTLD) in the 1947 local elections, the Assembly elections were manipulated by the authorities to ensure a favourable result, to the extent that the phrase "élection algérienne" became synonymous with rigged elections.
Naegelen's elections
Marcel-Edmond Naegelen (1892-1978), a leading member of the French Socialist Party (SFIO) and hitherto Education Minister in the French government, had been appointed by the government as general governor of Algeria on 11 February 1948. Naegelen was the son of an Alsatian who had chosen to move to France after Germany's annexation of Alsace in 1870, and he was strongly against the Alsatian autonomists ("separatists"), he developed the same hostility towards the Algerian "separatists".He organised with the administration the rigging of these elections and the sabotage of the new (1947) status of Algeria, strongly opposed by the allies of the SFIO in the French government coalition, who threatened to withdraw their support. Among them was the leader of the "French Algeria" lobby, the deputy of Constantine
Constantine (département)
Constantine is a former French département in Algeria which existed between 1848 and 1962.Considered as a French province, Algeria was departmentalised on 9 December 1848. Three civil zones replaced the three beyliks into which the Ottoman former rulers had divided the territory...
René Mayer
René Mayer
René Mayer was a French Radical politician of the Fourth Republic who served briefly as Prime Minister during 1953. He led the Mayer Authority from 1955 to 1958.-Mayer's Ministry, 8 January – 28 June 1953:*René Mayer – President of the Council...
.
Candidates were arrested before the elections, ballot boxes were stuffed by the colonial administration and the voting in the villages (douars) took place without polling booths under the surveillance of the army. The Algerian nationalists triumphed at the first round of these elections, then their results dropped dramatically at the second, as a result of the rigging.
Results
As a result, of the 60 "indigenous" seats, the MTLD won only nine, including Messali HadjMessali Hadj
Ahmed Ben Messali Hadj was an Algerian nationalist politician dedicated to the independence of his homeland from France...
, Larbi Demaghlatrous (future ambassador of independent Algeria in Jakarta and Belgrade), Chawki Mostefaï (fr) and Djilani Embarek (member of the Algerian Constituent Assembly in 1962), the nationalist Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto
Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto
Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto was a political party in colonial Algeria founded in 1946 by Ferhat Abbas, who was than elected deputy. The UDMA reflected the change in Abbas' point of view...
eight, including Ferhat Abbas
Ferhat Abbas
Ferhat Abbas Kabyle: Ferḥat Σabbas, was an Algerian political leader and briefly acted in a provisional capacity as the yet-to-become independent country's President from 1958 to 1961.- Background :...
, whilst 43 went to independents ("administrative" deputies), often labeled as béni-oui-oui. Among the 60 "European" seats, there were four socialists, one communist
Algerian Communist Party
The Algerian Communist Party was a communist party in Algeria. The PCA emerged in 1920 as an extension the French Communist Party and eventually became a separate entity in 1936 ....
, and 55 right-wingers.
| Party | First college | Second college | Total seats |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Seats | Votes | % | Seats | ||
| Union algérienne and Rally of the French People Rally of the French People The Rally of the French People was a French political party, led by Charles de Gaulle.-Foundation:... |
40 | 0 | 40 | ||||
| Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties The Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties , name proposed by Maiza, was created October 1946 to replace the outlawed Parti du Peuple Algerien . Messali Hadj remained as its president.... |
0 | 9 | 9 | ||||
| Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto was a political party in colonial Algeria founded in 1946 by Ferhat Abbas, who was than elected deputy. The UDMA reflected the change in Abbas' point of view... |
0 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| French Section of the Workers' International | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||
| Algerian Communist Party Algerian Communist Party The Algerian Communist Party was a communist party in Algeria. The PCA emerged in 1920 as an extension the French Communist Party and eventually became a separate entity in 1936 .... |
1 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| Radical Party | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||||
| Independent radicals | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||
| Independents | 9 | 41 | 50 | ||||
| Independent Federalist | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Independent Socialist | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 60 | 60 | 120 | ||||
| Source: Documents algériens. Série politique | |||||||
Consequences
After the elections, Ferhat Abbas has been reported to have told Maréchal JuinAlphonse Juin
- Early years :Juin was born at Bône in French Algeria, and enlisted in the French Army, graduating from the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1912.- Career :...
«Il n'y a plus d'autre solution que les mitraillettes.» ("There is no other solution left than the submachine guns").
Legislation
- Decree for the organization of the elections, Journal officiel, 5 March 1948
Filmed French propaganda
- Les élections à l'assemblée algérienne, Les Actualités françaises, 8 April 1948 (42s)
- Opening of the Algerian Assembly I (broadcasted), Les Actualités françaises, 1948 (01min07s)
- Opening of the Algerian Assembly I (never broadcasted, sound cut), Les Actualités françaises, 1948 (59s)
- Opening of the Algerian Assembly II (never broadcasted, sound cut), Les Actualités françaises, 1948 (03min39s)