Chadian Progressive Party
Encyclopedia
The Chadian Progressive Party (Parti Progressiste Tchadien or PPT) was the first African political party created in Chad
, active from 1947 to 1973. It was a regional branch of the African Democratic Rally
(RDA).
Founded in February 1947 by Gabriel Lisette
, a black colonial administrator born in Panama
, it at first attracted mainly the country's non-Muslim intellectual
s; politically it was much more radical and nationalistic than its main rival, the Muslim
-dominated Chadian Democratic Union
(UDT). This was revealed by its motto: "Enough with coton! Enough with taxes! Enough with chiefs!" (Plus de coton! Plus d’impôts! Plus de chefs!). Originally much weaker than the UDT, with the 1956 electoral reforms that expanded the pool of eligible voters, the power started to pass to the Christian and Animist south where the PPT had most of its support. As a result the PPT triumphed in the 1957 elections
for the Territorial Assembly, obtaining 32 seats out of 65, 47 with its allies. Gabriel Lisette, first President of the Provisional Government, stepped down in March 1959 so that a Chadian be head of the government and the party, and the choice fell on François Tombalbaye, who had just been made secretary-general of the PPT. The latter led the party in the May 1959 elections
, yet another landslide for the PPT that took 57 seats out of 85. In 1960, a few weeks before independence and the assumption of the presidency, Tombalbaye exiled Lisette, so eliminating a dangerous rival; from that moment nobody dared contest him in the party, that was declared the country's sole legal party in 1962. Tombalbaye renamed his party in 1973, calling it National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution
, that survived only two years, for in 1975 a coup
overthrew Tombalbaye and brought to a new government that immediately banished the party.
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, active from 1947 to 1973. It was a regional branch of the African Democratic Rally
African Democratic Rally
The African Democratic Rally was a political party in French West Africa, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Founded in Bamako in 1946, the RDA quickly became one of the most important forces for independence in the region. Initially a Pan-Africanist movement, the RDA ceased to function as a...
(RDA).
Founded in February 1947 by Gabriel Lisette
Gabriel Lisette
Gabriel Francisco Lisette was a Chadian politician that played a key-role in the decolonization of Chad.Of African descent, he was born at Portobelo in Panama on April 2, 1919. He became a French colonial administrator, and in this role was posted to Chad in 1946...
, a black colonial administrator born in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, it at first attracted mainly the country's non-Muslim intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s; politically it was much more radical and nationalistic than its main rival, the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
-dominated Chadian Democratic Union
Chadian Democratic Union
The Chadian Democratic Union is the second African political party ever created in Chad. It's ancestor can be traced in the Mutuelle Amicale Tchadienne , created in 1945 under the impulse of Joseph Brahim Seid by Mahamat Yakouma, Mustapha Batran, Abdoulaye Touré, Souleymane Naye, Adoum Tchéré and...
(UDT). This was revealed by its motto: "Enough with coton! Enough with taxes! Enough with chiefs!" (Plus de coton! Plus d’impôts! Plus de chefs!). Originally much weaker than the UDT, with the 1956 electoral reforms that expanded the pool of eligible voters, the power started to pass to the Christian and Animist south where the PPT had most of its support. As a result the PPT triumphed in the 1957 elections
Chadian parliamentary election, 1957
Territorial Assembly elections were held in Chad on 31 March 1957. The result was a victory for the Chadian Progressive Party, which won 32 of the 65 seats, whilst its allies, the Independent Socialist Party and the Chadian Democratic Union won 15.-Results:...
for the Territorial Assembly, obtaining 32 seats out of 65, 47 with its allies. Gabriel Lisette, first President of the Provisional Government, stepped down in March 1959 so that a Chadian be head of the government and the party, and the choice fell on François Tombalbaye, who had just been made secretary-general of the PPT. The latter led the party in the May 1959 elections
Chadian parliamentary election, 1959
Parliamentary elections were held in Chad on 31 May 1959. The result was a victory for the Chadian Progressive Party, which won 57 of the 85 seats in the enlarged National Assembly.-Results:* One seat is unaccounted for....
, yet another landslide for the PPT that took 57 seats out of 85. In 1960, a few weeks before independence and the assumption of the presidency, Tombalbaye exiled Lisette, so eliminating a dangerous rival; from that moment nobody dared contest him in the party, that was declared the country's sole legal party in 1962. Tombalbaye renamed his party in 1973, calling it National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution
National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution
The National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution was a political party in Chad. It was the successor to the Chadian Progressive Party and existed from 1973 to 1975 as the country's sole legal party, under the strict control of the President Ngarta Tombalbaye...
, that survived only two years, for in 1975 a coup
Chadian coup of 1975
The Chadian coup of 1975 was in considerable part generated by the growing distrust of the President of Chad, François Tombalbaye, for the army. This distrust came in part from the Chadian Armed Forces incapacity to deal with the rebellion that was inflaming the Muslim north from when the rebel...
overthrew Tombalbaye and brought to a new government that immediately banished the party.