The Union of Democratic and Progressive Patriots (commonly UPDP-Chamoua) is a centrist Nigerien political party, founded and led by André Salifou

André Salifou

André Salifou is a Nigerien politician, diplomat, and professor. He was President of the High Council of the Republic during the 1991–93 transitional period, Foreign Minister in 1996, and an unsuccessful presidential candidate in 1999....

. The UPDP has only three times won a handful in the National Assembly of Niger

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:...

 since it formed prior to the 1993 elections. One three occasions these seats were held Professor Salifou, who is also chairman of the party. Professor Salifou has also contested several elections for President of Niger under the banner of the UPDP-Chamoua.

Third Republic

The party was formed with many others on 15 November 1990, when political parties were legalized in the transition to the Third Republic. André Salifou, its founder, had been provisional head of state during the transition to democratic rule in 1991, and was consequently barred from standing in the first Presidential elections of the Third Republic.

In the 14 February 1993 National Assembly Election

Nigerien parliamentary election, 1993

Parliamentary elections were held in Niger on 14 February 1993. They followed the constitutional changes approved in a referendum the previous year, which re-introduced multi-party democracy...

, the party won two seats, standing outside of coalitions. In the February/March 1993 Presidential Election

Nigerien 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...

, Illa Kané won 32,951 (2.55%) for the party in the first round. The Party stood in opposition to the ARC coalition which governed from 1993 to 1995.

In the 12 January 1995 National Assembly Election

Nigerien parliamentary election, 1995

A parliamentary election was held in Niger on 12 January 1995. The last election of the Third Republic of Niger, they were called following a split in the ruling coalition, but resulted in a government divided between the party of the President and an opposition coalition holding the National...

, the UPDP-Chamoua retained one seat, retained by Professor Salifou, from the Zinder constituency.

Fourth Republic

In the 23 November 1996 National Assembly Election

Nigerien parliamentary election, 1996

Parliamentary elections were held in Niger on 23 November 1996. They followed the constitutional changes approved in a referendum earlier in the year, which re-introduced multi-party democracy following a military coup...

, boycotted by several large parties, UPDP-Chamoua won four seats, its best ever result.

Fifth Republic

Standing in the first elections of the Fifth Republic, the Salifou won 39,641 votes (2.08%) in the first round of the October/November 1999 Presidential Election

Nigerien 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...

. As of the 2004 legislative elections

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...

, the party has not retained a parliamentary seat since the 1996 election. Following the election of 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 MNSD-Nassara as president, André Salifou has retained a number of appointed government posts.