Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism
Encyclopedia
The Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism is a political party
in Niger
. It is a broadly left-wing party, part of the Socialist International
; since 2011 it has been in power following the election of its long-time leader, Mahamadou Issoufou
, as President of Niger. Mohamed Bazoum
is Acting President of the PNDS, and its Secretary-General is Foumakoye Gado
. It was founded on December 23, 1990.
, held in February 1993, the leader of the PNDS, Mahamadou Issoufou, took third place, with 15.92% of the vote, in the first round; in the parliamentary election, also held in February, the PNDS won 13 out of 83 seats in the National Assembly
. 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.
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.
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.
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, 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.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
. It is a broadly left-wing party, part of the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
; since 2011 it has been in power following the election of its long-time leader, Mahamadou Issoufou
Mahamadou Issoufou
Mahamadou Issoufou is a Nigerien politician who has been President of Niger since 7 April 2011. Previously he was Prime Minister of Niger from 1993 to 1994 and President of the National Assembly from 1995 to 1996, and he has stood as a candidate in each presidential election since 1993.Issoufou...
, as President of Niger. Mohamed Bazoum
Mohamed Bazoum
Mohamed Bazoum is a Nigerien politician who has served in the government of Niger as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs since April 2011; previously he was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 1996. He is the Vice-President of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism...
is Acting President of the PNDS, and its Secretary-General is Foumakoye Gado
Foumakoye Gado
Foumakoye Gado is a Nigerien politician and the Secretary-General of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism . He served in the government of Niger as Minister of Mines and Energy from April 1993 to October 1994 and he held the same post for a second time from April 2011 to September 2011...
. It was founded on December 23, 1990.
Third Republic
In the country's first multiparty presidential electionNigerien presidential election, 1993
Presidential elections were held in Niger on 28 February 1993, with a second round on 28 March after no candidate passed the 50% barrier in the first round. They followed the constitutional changes approved in a referendum the previous year, which re-introduced multi-party democracy, and were the...
, held in February 1993, the leader of the PNDS, Mahamadou Issoufou, took third place, with 15.92% of the vote, in the first round; in the parliamentary election, also held in February, the PNDS won 13 out of 83 seats in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Niger
The unicameral National Assembly of Niger is the country's sole legislative body. The National Assembly may propose laws and is required to approve all legislation.-History:...
. The party won five of these 13 seats in Tahoua Department
Tahoua (department)
Tahoua is one of eight administrative Regions in Niger. The capital of the Region is the Commune of Tahoua. The Region covers 106,677 km². The Governor of Tahoua Region is Elhadj Mahamadou Zéti Maiga...
, where Issoufou is from. As part of a coalition called the Alliance of the Forces of Change (AFC)
Alliance of the Forces of Change (Niger)
The Alliance of the Forces of Change was one of the two large political coalitions which contested for power in Niger from 1991 to 1996.-Formation:...
, the PNDS backed Mahamane Ousmane
Mahamane Ousmane
Mahamane Ousmane is a Nigerien politician. He was the first democratically elected and fourth President of Niger, serving from 16 April 1993 until his ouster in a military coup d'état on 27 January 1996. He has continued to run for President in each election since his ouster, and he was President...
of the Democratic and Social Convention
Democratic and Social Convention
The Democratic and Social Convention - Rahama is a political party in Niger. It was founded in January 1991. In the 1993 presidential election, the party's leader, Mahamane Ousmane, was elected president...
(CDS) in the second round of the presidential election, held in March, and Ousmane was victorious over Tandja Mamadou
Tandja Mamadou
Lieutenant Colonel Mamadou Tandja is a Nigerien politician who was President of Niger from 1999 to 2010. He was President of the National Movement of the Development Society from 1991 to 1999 and unsuccessfully ran as the MNSD's presidential candidate in 1993 and 1996 before being elected to his...
of the National Movement for the Development of Society
National Movement for the Development of Society
The National Movement for the Society of Development - MNSD / MNSD-Nassara is a political party in Niger. Founded under the military government of the 1974-1990 period, it was the ruling party of Niger from 1989 to 1993 and again from 1999 until a coup on February 18, 2010, by a military junta...
(MNSD). In the National Assembly, the PNDS formed part of the AFC majority, and Issoufou was appointed prime minister.
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.
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
Hama Amadou
Hama Amadou is a Nigerien politician who was Prime Minister of Niger from 1995 to 1996 and again from 2000 to 2007. He was also Secretary-General of the National Movement for the Development of Society from 1991 to 2001 and President of the MNSD-Nassara from 2001 to 2009...
of the MNSD became prime minister while Issoufou became President of the National Assembly. This situation involved cohabitation
Cohabitation (government)
Cohabitation in government occurs in semi-presidential systems, such as France's system, when the President is from a different political party than the majority of the members of parliament. It occurs because such a system forces the president to name a premier that will be acceptable to the...
between the new government and President Ousmane, and intense rivalry developed between them. In January 1996, the military under Ibrahim Bare Mainassara
Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara
Colonel Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara was a military officer in the West African country of Niger who seized power in a January 1996 coup d'état and ruled the country until his assassination during the military coup of April 1999....
seized power.
Military rule and Fourth Republic
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. 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.Fifth Republic
Following another coup in April 1999, Issoufou placed second in the presidential electionNigerien presidential election, 1999
A presidential election was held in Niger in late 1999, with the first round on October 17 and a second round, coinciding with a parliamentary election, on November 24. The election followed a coup d'état on April 9, 1999, in which Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara, who had led an earlier coup in January...
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, becoming the largest opposition party in the National Assembly.
In the 2004 presidential election
Niger presidential election, 2004
The Republic of Niger held a presidential election on 16 November 2004. Voter turnout in this round of polling was 48.3%. It was won by Tandja Mamadou.-Candidates:Six candidates contested the 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
Nigerien parliamentary election, 2004
A parliamentary election was held in Niger on 4 December 2004 alongside a simultaneous presidential election. 105 members were elected in 8 multi-member constituencies using the party-list proportional representation system...
, 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
Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally
The Nigerien Progressive Party-African Democratic Rally is a political party in Niger. It was the leading political party of the pre-independence era, becoming the sole legal party of the First Republic . It was led by Niger's first President, Hamani Diori...
, the Nigerien Self-Management Party
Nigerien Self-Management Party
The Nigerien Self-Management Party is a political party in Niger. The President of the party and only elected deputy to date is Sanoussi Jackou. Jackou was a former deputy and co-founder of the Democratic and Social Convention , which expelled him in 1996 when he chose to take up ministerial...
, the Union of Independent Nigeriens
Union of Independent Nigeriens
The Union of Independent Nigeriens is a political party in Niger. It contested the legislative elections of 4 December 2004 in an alliance with the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism....
and the Union for Democracy and the Republic.
External links
- Official website: pnds-tarraya.net